Man Charged with Murder in Pine County Cabin Shooting
A Cambridge man has been charged with second-degree murder and related felonies following a deadly shooting at a family hunting cabin in Hinckley on November 15.
Kirk Edward Hazlett III, 31, is accused of fatally shooting his father, 62-year-old Kirk Edward Hazlett II, in an incident authorities described as targeted and deliberate.
Deputies from the Pine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 57000 block of Barns Spring Road at approximately 8:44 p.m. after two men reported that Hazlett III had shot his father. The witnesses, identified as the victim's brothers, told deputies that the suspect was armed and could still be on the property.
Upon arrival at the remote cabin, deputies found Hazlett II deceased, lying face down near a couch. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the back of the head. Spent ammunition casings were found near the body, along with bullet holes in a nearby window. Investigators later determined Hazlett II had been shot nine times, with all entry wounds to the back or side of his body.
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The two witnesses, identified as MTH and JTH, stated they had been eating dinner when a trail camera alerted them to someone approaching the cabin with a firearm. Before they could react, Hazlett III entered through a side door and opened fire, striking his father multiple times. The brothers said the suspect then forced them to sit on the couch at gunpoint and shot the victim again in the head, reportedly to ensure he was dead. Hazlett III eventually allowed the men to leave after confiscating their cell phones.
Deputies later tracked Hazlett III to his home in Cambridge, where he was arrested. A black Ford Fusion registered to his girlfriend was parked outside, matching the description of a vehicle seen leaving the cabin area. The girlfriend told authorities that Hazlett III had borrowed the car earlier in the evening to visit the family cabin and had expressed frustration about a new security camera installed on the property.
Court records reveal ongoing tension between Hazlett III and his father. In October, deputies responded to a disturbance at the cabin where the victim accused the suspect of threatening behavior and had him trespassed from the property.
Hazlett III now faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, and two counts of kidnapping. He remains in custody in Pine County Jail, on a $1 million bond. Authorities continue to investigate the incident and have urged anyone with additional information to contact the Pine County Sheriff's Office.
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