BOZEMAN — “Forever Together” is what a memorial reads for Brendan and Chase Estabrook — two brothers who were shot and killed in Three Forks back in 2022.
Since that tragic night, the Estabrook brothers’ mom, Kim Finn has fought for justice—and that justice has recently been served. She says although her boys may be gone, they’ll never be forgotten.
“You never want to lose one let alone two,” said Kim Finn. “But they’re still together and I don’t think they would’ve wanted it any other way.”
On January 15 2022, Kim received a call from a family friend with devastating news.
“It was the worst nightmare a parent ever wants to hear,” said Kim.
Kim’s two sons, Brendan and Chase were shot and killed.
After a night out together in Three Forks, the boys found themselves in a physical altercation with 25-year-old Zach Norman. Norman was asked to leave a house party at the corner of 6th and Ash multiple times before Brendan and Chase stepped in.
Norman shot both brothers dead in the street. Brendan was 32 years old and Chase was 31.
“I made a promise to Brendan and Chase the day we got to see them in the funeral home,” said Kim. “I gave them a hug and a kiss, sat a rose on them, and I told them, we’ll get justice.”
After a jury trial in July 2023 that led to a partial verdict, and a bench trial in April of 2024, Zach Norman is sentenced to 110 years in the Montana State Prison.
“It’s been a very long process,” said Kim. “Of course, I don’t feel like the sentence that he got will ever make us whole.”
In fact, Kim and her husband Nathan say they feel like they’ve been given a life sentence as well.
“There’s a lot of pain and grief that we have to go through,” said Kim. “It’ll be lifelong.”
But even so, they’re pushing forward.
Today, Kim and Nathan try to honor Brendan and Chase in any way they can.
“Their ashes are actually in our tattoos,” said Kim.
Their property is lined with beautiful memorials for Brendan and Chase, two fun-loving people who lived life to the fullest.
“Not only did they die, but they lived,” said Kim. “They lived and had a lot of fun.”
“They’d be the ones to say right now, what’s all the fuss about,” said Nathan. “They wouldn’t want a bunch of fuss about them.”
Kim and Nathan say they know the boys would want them to keep living their lives to the fullest as well.
“I want to try to move forward now and believe that Brendan and Chase would be telling us, ‘You still have a life to live,’” said Kim. “It’s just about keeping them in our memory and never forgetting.”
