In the quiet, early morning hours of Saturday, January 15, 2022, a tragedy unfolded in the small town of Three Forks, Montana, that would claim the lives of two brothers. Chase Johnathon Estabrook, a 31-year-old Caucasian male, and his older brother, Brendan Estabrook, 32, were fatally shot, leaving a community in shock and a family devastated. Chase, a Butte native and hardworking family man, had just welcomed his third child a week prior to this violent end. He was known for his love of the outdoors, enjoying activities like hunting, fishing, and riding RZRs with his brother. He was in the process of building a family home, a dream that would tragically go unrealized.
The night of the incident, the Estabrook brothers had been at a local bar with a group of people, which included 24-year-old Zachary Eugene Norman. After the bars closed, the group reportedly decided to continue their evening at a residence in Three Forks.
An argument broke out between Norman and the Estabrook brothers, which escalated into a physical altercation outside the home. Shortly after the fight, just before 3:30 a.m. near the intersection of 6th Avenue East and Ash Street, gunshots were fired. Both Chase and Brendan Estabrook died at the scene from their injuries.
The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office responded to the shooting, and their investigation quickly led them to Zachary Norman. He was located and arrested at his father's house. Investigators also recovered the handgun believed to have been used in the killings, which was found hidden in his father's closet. Norman was subsequently charged with two counts of deliberate homicide for the deaths of the Estabrook brothers. He also faced two counts of tampering with evidence for allegedly attempting to clean his clothes and conceal the murder weapon.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Zachary Norman pleaded not guilty to all charges. A District Court Judge set his bail at $1 million. The case then proceeded to trial, where witnesses recounted the events of that fatal night. The community mourned the loss of the two brothers, who were remembered as loving family men with a shared passion for the outdoors and working on their trucks. A celebration of their lives was held later that month, preceded by a RZR ride around town in their honor. The tragic event left a lasting scar on the Three Forks community and a void in the lives of the many who knew and loved Chase and Brendan Estabrook.
