BOZEMAN, Mont. — UPDATE: 10-15-2026, 5:55 p.m. — The victim of Wednesday's fatal shooting has been identified as Shelli Waltemath, 50, of Gallatin Gateway.
According to Gallatin County Sheriff/Coroner Dan Springer, Waltemath was pronounced at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds on Oct. 14, 2026.
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A woman was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds inside a Bozeman business Wednesday afternoon, and the primary suspect in her killing was found dead in a field Thursday morning, according to police.
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Bozeman police responded shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday to a business near West Main Street and Professional Drive, where officers found the woman dead.
The investigation closed off the area and continued into the evening. Hours after the shooting, police asked people to avoid the area in a social media post with no mention of a suspect being on the loose.
On Thursday, Bozeman Police Chief Jim Veltkamp discussed the investigation and the department's assessment of public safety while the suspect remained at large.
Veltkamp said police try to reassure the public when there is no known threat, but acknowledged the uncertainty when a suspect has not been located.
“When we can't say that, there is an unknown risk to the public,” Veltkamp said.
Some people at nearby businesses told MTN News they had questions about what happened and whether there was a threat to their safety. Those approached Thursday afternoon declined to speak on camera.
Veltkamp said law enforcement must balance keeping the public informed with protecting an active investigation. He said police would issue a warning even in the middle of the night if they believed there was an imminent threat.
Investigators were able to identify a suspect relatively quickly, Veltkamp said, with items left behind at the scene helping the investigation.
A photo described as potentially showing the suspect also circulated on social media. Veltkamp said he could not confirm whether the photo depicted the man.
Early Thursday morning, police responded to a report of a body in a field off West College Street, near the area where the shooting occurred. A concerned citizen reported the body.
Veltkamp said the man was identified as the primary suspect in the homicide and appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He also said the man appeared to have been dead for some time.
Investigators are still working to determine a motive and the relationship between the suspect and the victim.
“We still don't have a motive, and detectives are still trying to figure out the connection between the suspect and the victim,” Veltkamp said.
Veltkamp said homicides are uncommon in Bozeman but emphasized the tragedy of the case.
“We are fortunate to live in a community that does not have this happen a lot, but at the same time it does not take away from what a tragic event this is,” he said.
Police said there does not appear to be an ongoing threat to the community. The names of the victim and suspect have not been released as of Thursday.
