UPDATE: 7/7/2022, 11:05 a.m. - The suspect, Francisco Padilla-Canales, 41, was seen in Gallatin County Justice Court on Thursday, July 7, 2022, and his bail was set at $1M. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 22, 2022.
UPDATE - 7/7/2022, 10:13 am - According to charging documents, a 911 call was received initially at 12:49 but the caller hung up. Another 911 call was received at 12:51 from the same number, with the caller stating a man had stabbed himself in the chest. Patrol officers responded and found a man with multiple stab wounds to his chest and another man attempting CPR on the victim. A woman was also at the residence at Brenden Street in Bozeman.
The residence is located west of Ferguson, between Durston and Babcock streets.
A folding Dewalt knife was reportedly recovered by officers near the victim. The man, identified as Francisco Padilla-Canales, 41, and the woman at the scene were taken to the Gallatin County Law and Justice Center to be interviewed by detectives.
The woman stated that she was romantically involved with the victim and married to Padilla-Canales.
She reportedly told detectives she was employed as a house cleaner and had been cleaning the vacation rental and allowing the victim to stay at the rental where the alleged crime took place.
The woman also told detectives that a few days prior to the homicide, the victim had found a GPS tracking devise on her vehicle, which she suspected Padilla-Canales of placing there.
According to charging documents, the woman told detectives that she and the victim were in a bedroom watching TV early in the morning of July 7 when Padilla-Canales entered the bedroom, confronted the two, and reportedly made a punching motion toward the victim’s upper torso. The woman ran out of the room in fear, but Padilla-Canales reportedly caught her and brandished a firearm. The woman told detectives she was in fear for her safety and was afraid she would be killed.
When detectives interviewed Padilla-Canales, the man reportedly admitted to placing the GPS tracker on the woman’s vehicle. He also reportedly admitted to entering the house through the back door and stabbing the victim with a Dewalt folding knife in the chest. He stated he decided to tell law enforcement the victim had attempted suicide, placing the knife near the victim.
The homeowners were notified and told detectives the house was a vacation rental but the house was not currently being rented and no one should be in the house, as the next booking wasn’t until later in the week.
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BOZEMAN — Bozeman Police report an 18-year-old man died of stab wounds in the early morning hours on Thursday, July 7 in Bozeman.
A suspect has been arrested and is currently detained at the Gallatin County Detention Center.
According to a press release and charging documents, shortly before 1 a.m. on Thursday, officers responded to the area of the 4200 block of Brenden Street in response to what was initially reported as a medical call. Upon arrival officers located an individual with significant injuries. Medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures on the individual which were ultimately unsuccessful and the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation by the Bozeman Police Department determined that another individual had come to the residence, confronted the victim and stabbed him repeatedly. The victim later succumbed to his wounds. The Bozeman Police are still working on positively identifying the victim, who is a Hispanic male, approximately 18 years of age. The victim's name and information will be withheld pending notification to family members.
The Bozeman Police Department has arrested Francisco Padilla-Canales and charged him with Deliberate Homicide, Aggravated Burglary, Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Tampering With Witnesses and Informants, all felonies. Padilla-Canales was held without bond at the Gallatin County Detention Center.
Investigation shows this is an isolated incident and there was not, nor is there now, any concern for the safety of the general public. The Bozeman Police Department Detective Division are continuing to investigate the incident.
Bozeman Police stated they would like to thank the members of the American Medical Response, Bozeman Fire, and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office for their professionalism and their assistance in this incident.
This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
