Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Where is that Flathead Valley crowd?

I sent the first post with the picture to my sister in law who grew up in Kalispell and she has never hear of that guy or seen him. I think she is in her 60's

Ohhhh, I'd suppose in a way.

I distinctly recall vodka to be her most common beverage of choice but that can change.

By no means could you call her a heifer in any sense.

She's just a tiny dash of a women, little old thing.
Always dressed to the nines and drippin' with jewelry.

She looked out of place sitting in Nickel Charlie's playing keno.

She's a notorious tightwad, she played Penny Keno so the drinks were free in the casino so long as she kept pounding on a machine. Her office wasn't far from the Nickel Charlie's bar.

That would be in the years after she divorced Vern.

She's a shrewd but savvy business women, her success in the Flathead didn't happen by chance.

You'd never want to cross her...can't say I ever saw her smile, sort of a built in permanent scowl. Serious all the time.

My error, he didn’t make bail, he was released because he was extradited to Lincoln County......

Libby scuttlebutt was spot on...

Alleged campground killer charged with deliberate homicide

May 25, 2022 12:00 AM
The man arrested for allegedly killing one and wounding another in a campground shooting near Libby over the weekend made his first appearance Tuesday in Lincoln County Justice Court on deliberate and attempted deliberate homicide charges.

Garry Douglas Seaman, 63, of Kalispell is being held without bond in the Lincoln County Detention Center following his extradition from Flathead County. He was arrested May 24 — a day after the slaying — near his home in the Flathead Valley following a manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies.

Local authorities received word of a shooting at the Alexander Creek Campground near the Libby Dam at about 2:45 p.m. on May 23. Arriving deputies found a man dead and a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Accordingly to newly filed court documents, the woman identified Seaman as the shooter while deputies provided emergency treatment. She offered up a description of his vehicle and told them it had “Kalispell plates.”

Prosecutors said in an affidavit that the woman previously had a romantic relationship with Seaman. The one-time couple was “going through a contentious separation, and recent instances of violence and requests for civil standby assistance have been documented by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office,” wrote Deputy Lincoln County Attorney Jeffrey Zwang in an affidavit.

Court documents identified James Preston Freeman as the man Seaman allegedly killed. Freeman died of apparent gunshot wounds to the torso.

Detective David Hall of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation into the shooting, court documents said.

Deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide are punishable by the death penalty, life imprisonment or at least 10 years in state prison.

I doubt he will hang, we never hang anyone anymore

He's got some sweet properties, 3500sf pad on Foys Lake, the house adjacent to it, hillside view acreage across from it.

And 23 others, a good bit of commercial over in Great Falls.

His ex GF will sue and get a good chunk of what he has left when this settles out.
She has his baby and had recently filed for a restraining order according to the write up in the Beacon.

Now she's got a few bullet holes in her too.

Hope he figures it was worthwhile, at 63 he's likely to never experience another day as a free man.

August 6, 2022 
Bail will remain at $25 million for a Kalispell attorney accused of shooting two people — one his former, long-time domestic partner — at a campground near Libby Dam in May.

Garry Douglas Seaman, 63, sought a bail hearing to reduce the $25 million bond set by Lincoln County District Judge Matt Cuffe. He is accused of deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide in the shootings of James Preston Freeman and Seaman’s former partner at the Alexander Creek Campground on May 23. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in June.

Under state law, if Seaman sought to use real estate to cover the bond, he would need to put up about $50 million worth of property to be released.

Missoula County District Judge Jason Marks, who took over the case from Cuffe, made his decision rapidly Friday morning in the Lincoln County Courthouse after the alleged surviving victim testified about her fear of Seaman and her belief that he would seek to “finish the job" if freed.

Marks said he believed $25 million is appropriate.

“If the defendant is able to post bail, the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office should be notified five days prior to his release,” Marks said.

The one-time couple was “going through a contentious separation, and recent instances of violence and requests for civil standby assistance have been documented by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office,” wrote Deputy County Attorney Jeffrey Zwang in an affidavit charging the shootings.

THE VICTIM'S emotional and charged testimony left the courtroom in silence after County Attorney Marcia Boris questioned the woman about her past relationship with Seaman and her feelings since the alleged shooting.

“I’m terrified,” the woman said. “I never thought it would go this far. If he ever gets out, I have no doubt he’d finish the job.”

She said her doctors told her she shouldn’t have survived the attack.

“I was shot in the left hand, twice in the stomach, in the buttocks, my right breast. I have to wear a colostomy bag because of what the shrapnel did to my intestines,” she said.

The woman, who was able to walk into the courtroom with some assistance from family, explained that she went to work in Seaman’s law firm on May 19, 1994. She said they began a romantic relationship 15 years ago and one child was born of the union.

“We broke up in 2020, but I went back to him briefly before things went downhill again,” she said. “It (the relationship) ended in April 2022. One night he said, ‘Get the (expletive) out of my house and you’re fired.’”

She also talked about the day of the shooting and her relationship with Freeman.

“James and I were old friends from 30 years ago and we had texted and talked,” she said.

After their relationship evolved, they decided to go camping in Lincoln County.

“We didn’t tell anyone where we were going, but I told my son we were going camping. It was the first weekend Garry would take him (their son),” she said.

The woman said the reservation they had made for a campsite was cancelled because of a “glitch in the system.”

“We stopped at a restaurant in Libby and a waitress told us another place we could go,” she said.

The woman said she and Freeman spent time shooting guns at a local firing range before returning to the campsite.

“James and I were sitting at a picnic table when Garry drove in. I believe my guns were in the glove box of my vehicle," she recalled.

“He said, ‘It’s you, it’s you,’ and then started shooting. He shot James first, then me,” she said.

The woman alleged, in a petition for a protection order filed in Flathead County, that Seaman had followed her to homes she was interested in renting and was using electronic devices to track her location because she received notifications on her phone, according to the affidavit filed by Zwang.

According to court documents, the woman identified Seaman as the shooter while deputies provided emergency treatment. She gave them a description of his vehicle and told them it had “Kalispell plates.”

He was arrested near his home in the Flathead Valley following a manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies.

In addition to her testimony about the alleged shooting, the woman explained why she didn’t want the bail reduced.

“He’s lived a life of luxury,” she said. “He has a home on Flathead Lake with his brother, two other homes in Kalispell, several mobile home lots in Great Falls and Kalispell.

“He also has hundreds of guns, he has guns all over the house, at work, in his vehicle, he has an airplane, he has several sports cars and other vehicle, he collects gold bullion and I am just like all of those things - I am a possession to him and that’s why he shot me,” she said.

NICK BROOKE, an attorney with the Missoula firm of Smith and Stephens, who is part of the team representing Seaman, said if his client were able to post bail, he’d likely live in Missoula and wear a GPS monitoring device.

Brooke also argued that a receivership has been appointed for Seaman and his property. It usually means his ability to control, manage or operate the property has been displaced.

Seaman's alleged victim felt that wasn’t enough to keep him from gaining his freedom and harming her.

“Garry will save and protect his assets from losing it in potential litigation,” she said. “I wouldn’t feel any safer if he were in Missoula and I don’t trust an ankle bracelet. I believe he could cut it off and find me and my family before anyone could get there.”

She also said he had “bug-out” bags prepared in case he ever had to flee the area. Such bags, typically carried by military personnel, may contain an emergency kit, cash and other items used to survive for short period of time while trying to elude potential captors.

She also said Seaman attempted to use their son as an alibi on the day of the alleged shooting.

“He tried to drop off my son at my parents, but they weren’t home. He took him back home and told my son he was going to Missoula to his older son because he was having trouble in school.

“When (my son) called (his son) in Missoula, the older sibling said he hadn’t talked to dad in weeks,” she said.

Seaman’s next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide are punishable by the death penalty, life imprisonment or at least 10 years in the Montana State Prison.

Kootenai campground killer sentenced to state prison

October 5, 2023

A Kalispell attorney convicted of deliberate homicide and attempted homicide in relation to the shotgun shootings of two people, one fatal, last year at a campground near Libby Dam was sentenced Thursday.

Garry Douglas Seaman, 64, appeared in Lincoln County District Court and received two 60-year concurrent sentences for each count from Missoula County District Judge Jason Marks. Seaman must serve 18 years before he is eligible for parole.

Seaman pleaded guilty to shooting and killing James Preston Freeman and his former, long-time domestic partner at the Alexander Creek Campground on May 21, 2022.

His sentence followed a plea deal agreed to by Deputy County Attorney Jeffrey Zwang and Seaman's attorney, Nick K. Brooke.

According to the plea deal, both sides agreed to Seaman receiving a 60-year sentence on each count to the Montana State Prison. It stipulated that Seaman must serve 18 years, concurrently, on each count before being eligible for parole. Seaman received credit for the time he has served in the Lincoln County Detention Center. Seaman must also pay restitution of nearly $5,800.

Seaman, who had been held on $25 million bail since an August 2022 hearing, will remain in the county jail without bail until he is moved to the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge.

The one-time couple was “going through a contentious separation, and recent instances of violence and requests for civil standby assistance have been documented by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office,” wrote Zwang in an affidavit charging the shootings.

The surviving victim said she and Freeman had been old friends from 30 years. “We had texted and talked,” she said.

After their relationship evolved, they decided to go camping in Lincoln County.

“We didn’t tell anyone where we were going, but I told my son we were going camping. It was the first weekend Garry would take him (their son),” she said.

The woman said the reservation they had made for a campsite was cancelled because of a “glitch in the system.”

“We stopped at a restaurant in Libby and a waitress told us another place we could go,” she said.

The woman said she and Freeman spent time shooting guns at a local firing range before returning to the campsite.

“James and I were sitting at a picnic table when Garry drove in. I believe my guns were in the glove box of my vehicle.

“He said, ‘It’s you, it’s you,’ and then started shooting. He shot James first, then me,” she said.

She also said Seaman shot Freeman five times and her five to seven times.

She said a fisherman drove up and, “I told him to go toward Libby and he’d get service to call for help.” She said it was a little more than an hour before first responders showed up.

She was flown to Logan Health in Kalispell for medical care.

“I was in the ICU for about two weeks, had three stomach surgeries for all the shrapnel and debris,” the woman said.

She described medical bills in excess of $360,000 at the time and would increase with further treatment.

The woman alleged in a petition for a protection order filed in Flathead County that Seaman had followed her to homes she was interested in renting and was using electronic devices to track her location because she received notifications on her phone, according to the affidavit filed by Lincoln County Deputy Attorney Jeffrey Zwang. The woman said the petition was denied when the judge determined the information she provided did not support the order of protection.

According to court documents, the woman identified Seaman as the shooter while deputies provided emergency treatment to her. She gave them a description of his vehicle and told them it had “Kalispell plates.”

He was arrested near his home in the Flathead Valley following a manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies.

Seaman’s former partner’s testimony in the 2022 bail hearing was emotional and she believed if he ever got out of prison, “I have no doubt he’d finish the job.”

The female victim also testified to her extensive injuries from the shooting.

“I was shot in the left hand, twice in the stomach, in the buttocks, my right breast. I have to wear a colostomy bag because of what the shrapnel did to my intestines,” she said at the August 2022 bail hearing. “All my doctors said I shouldn’t have lived.”

She explained that she went to work in Seaman’s law firm on May 19, 1994. She said they began a romantic relationship in 2007 and one child was born of the union.

“We broke up in 2020 and then I went back to him briefly before he told me to, “Get the [profanity] out of my house and you’re fired.”

The woman also testified that Seaman said, “If you have to kill someone, use a shotgun and make sure you kill them, because dead men tell no tales.”

Dawn Freeman, the wife of James Freeman, said at the 2022 bail hearing that she wasn’t aware of the relationship between Jim and the female victim.

“We were married for 16 years and we have five children. Four of the kids are still at home,” Dawn Freeman said. “On the morning of May 21, two police officers came to my home and told me [Jim Freeman] was deceased and there was a manhunt underway.

“I spent hours in the garage, agonizing over having to tell the kids because of the news and social media. Things come out so quickly,” Freeman said.

She said her children were stunned, shocked and upset. She said they didn’t sleep for days and had entered counseling.

“The kids loved their dad. He was always there to take care of their needs. He worked very hard and was the sole provider of the family,” Freeman said.

No big deal shootings are just a daily accurance in the Flathead anymore.

Very true, much like a traditional western town of the late 1800s or early 1900s.

This one just stands out due to it not involving a recent transplant.

The Flathead has always been a neo nazi, skinhead, racist and far right wing "haven".

Had some nazi propaganda under the windshield wipers of work truck one day out there by a typical right winger up that way. Saw that [bleep] stapled to trees on the forest, telephone poles, kiosks.

It's surprising there is so much crime, drug use, etc up that way, said nobody, ever.

I guess all the influx of people flocking in has nothing to with it huh Buzz, how long since you lived in Montana?
Google flathead jail roster and see who there arresting and were there coming from. Hmmmm illegal aliens with 12,000 fentayl pills. The 70 year old Dr who just shot the guy in murdochs parking lot came from Ten.
Thank your President for all that

Buzzy was triggered!

Its just like when I worked in the oil boom towns every scumbag seem to flock to the opportunity.
As if Bozangeles and Missoula are any better huh Buzz?
Must have been a pint night visit to the flathead.

How was the klan meeting last night?

You talking about Pint night?

"Far right haven"
sounds like a good place.

MAGA!!!

Had the shooting at the boat ramp in Rexford this summer too. We usually go down and camp at McGillivary; just to get a break from our own campground. We launch paddleboards below the dam at Alexander Creek and float down to the boat launch halfway to Libby.
Kalispell has probably quadrupled in size over the last 30 years, and it's not due to the birth rate! A lot of the crime involves recently arrived residents but sometimes crazy just happens.
North Western Montana is a lot like North Idaho, with the same mix of working class residents and leisure class newcomers from urban areas. There is considerable friction between the two; not that this particular occurrence is related to that in any way. In general, long-time Montanans, while they may be divided politically, usually get along because of their common background. That is to say, conservatives and liberals disagree but don't seem to show the blind hatred for each other which you might see in other areas. If said liberal is also a transplanted Californian though, all bets are off! Growing up, in north Idaho, we were taught that Californians were a lower form of life. It was only years later that we learned, it was only urban Californians who were inherently evil and even a few of those were OK.
In this particular case though, it seems to have simply been a broken home issue. It happens but usually no one dies. GD