Man Breaks Into a Missoula Cabin, Changes the Door Locks

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - At approximately 2:40 p.m. on April 9, 2024, a Missoula County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched to a trespassing call. The deputy called John and Jane Doe who had reported the trespass.

John said he went to his cabin on Southside Road on April 7, 2024, and discovered that his door handles had been changed and there were belongings of someone who had been staying in the cabin, including some tools, a cot, camp stove, and coat.

John has multiple no-trespassing signs posted around his cabin and keeps the door of the cabin locked because he has had problems with strangers staying in the cabin without permission. John said he wasn’t sure what to do, but he didn’t want the person to stay in the cabin, so he took the belongings back to his home.

John’s Son Receives Text Messages

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on April 9, John’s son received text messages from a person who identified himself as Aaron Rozzell. The messages were addressed to Jane. The messages said that Rozzell was upset his tools were taken and he would not leave the cabin unless the tools were returned to him. The messages went on to say that he would slash Jane’s tires and set her house on fire.

This made John and Jane concerned and they called 911. They had not responded to Rozzell’s messages. After some deliberation, John and Jane wanted to press charges against Rozzell and have him trespassed from their property.

The deputy called the phone number Rozzell had been texting from, but it went straight to voicemail. The deputy and a corporal drove to the cabin. As they approached the cabin, they could see that a vehicle with a license plate determined to be registered to Rozzell was parked next to the cabin.

Rozzell Provides a Statement

They could see Rozzell inside the cabin and he noticed them. The deputy motioned for him to come out of the cabin, which he did. Rozzell told the deputy that he had come to the cabin a few weeks ago and found the gate open and doors unlocked. Rozzell said he used Montana Cadastral to find out who owned the cabin and sent them a text message by searching their names on the internet.

Rozzell said he did not receive a message back, so he assumed that the owners were ok with him staying at the cabin. He said the door handle was not working and he replaced it. Rozzell said he went to work on April 7, and when he came back, he found that his belongings were missing.

According to court documents, Rozzell said this prompted him to send text messages that were “not very nice.” Rozzell emphasized that if they did not want him staying in the cabin, they just had to say so by texting or leaving a note, not by taking his belongings.

Rozzell was placed under arrest and transported to the Missoula County Detention Center. He is currently being charged with felony intimidation and criminal trespass to property.

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.