Tyler Matthew Balais was 25 when he died from a gunshot wound to the head in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on January 1, 2017. He worked on a Hot Shot Fire Crew and enjoyed dirt bikes and skating; family remembered him as a best friend and a beloved son.

Events began on New Year’s Eve when Balais and his girlfriend, Kassandra Imbert, drank at a downtown bar and got into an argument that continued at home. During the dispute Balais threatened to take his own life, a struggle over a gun followed, and the weapon discharged, killing him.

Imbert pleaded no contest to negligently causing Balais’s death and received probation. Testimony during the proceedings offered conflicting portrayals of Imbert, and the judge said alcohol was the primary factor in the incident.

If anyone knew Tyler, Kassandra, or saw them that night, please share information that might shed more light on what happened.