Man Charged with Deliberate Homicide in 2021 Cold Case Murder of Bozeman Resident
Gallatin County Attorney’s Office press release
The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office announced that Austin John Clowes has been charged with Deliberate Homicide in connection with the 2021 murder of 79-year-old Steven Kilwein. Clowes was arrested yesterday and appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court this morning, where the Court agreed with the State’s request to hold him on $1,000,000 bond.
If Clowes posts bond, he will be subject to strict conditions: he must comply with pre-trial services and wear a GPS monitor, surrender his passport, and is prohibited from consuming alcohol or entering establishments where alcohol is the primary item sold. He is also barred from possessing weapons and from contacting any witnesses or members of the Kilwein family.
The charges stem from a June 13, 2021, homicide investigation initiated when Bozeman Police responded to a welfare check at Mr. Kilwein’s home and discovered his body. The autopsy revealed multiple “chop style” wounds and confirmed the cause of death as homicide. Evidence recovered at the scene included a cell phone belonging to Clowes, which placed him at the scene during the early morning hours of the murder. Additional DNA evidence recovered from the victim’s pajama bottoms and hands later matched DNA from a water bottle taken from Clowes’ trash.
“This was an extremely violent and senseless killing of a vulnerable elder in our community,” said Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. “I am deeply grateful to law enforcement that Mr. Clowes has been apprehended and charged. Most importantly, I want to commend the Kilwein family for their extraordinary grace, patience, and steadfast commitment to justice during the long wait for answers in this tragic case.”
The case has remained unsolved for four years, with detectives from the Bozeman Police Department continuing to pursue leads. Advances in forensic DNA testing ultimately led to the charges being filed.
The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office extends its sincere thanks to the Bozeman Police Department, Gallatin County Sheriff Detectives, the Montana State Crime Lab, Pure Gold Forensics, and our victim advocacy team for their dedication to solving this case and supporting the Kilwein family.
Clowes is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case will proceed through the pretrial process in Gallatin County District Court.