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A Carbon County rancher who was killed in a murder-suicide likely was the victim of a domestic dispute between a longtime friend and her ex-boyfriend, his family said.

Tate Jensen, 31, was shot to death Aug. 28, when bullets were fired into the window of his home near Price, his family wrote in a statement issued Wednesday. The body of Jacob Milchak, the suspected shooter, was found in the driveway. Milchak, 24, apparently shot himself after killing Jensen, police have said.

Police have not said why Milchak, a man with no felony convictions, would have killed Jensen. But Jensen's family on Wednesday provided chilling details regarding Milchak's behavior toward his ex-girlfriend, who was watching TV with Jensen when Milchak fired into the house.

The woman had recently ended a relationship with Milchak, who was unhappy about the breakup, the Jensens wrote in a statement provided by family friend and Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Kirby.

While the woman and Tate Jensen were watching a movie on TV, she received several text messages from Milchak, "each succeeding text message becoming increasingly more agitated," the Jensens wrote.

The woman said she was afraid Milchak was outside Jensen's home, so Jensen walked toward the living room window, which was partially obscured by the blinds. Two shots were fired through the window, striking Jensen and killing him instantly, the family wrote.

Milchak then broke the rest of the glass out of the window and entered the living room in pursuit of the woman, the Jensens wrote. The woman ran outside, got into her car and drove away, calling 911, the Jensens wrote.

Deputies later found the holster for Milchak's .44-caliber Magnum pistol in the back seat of the woman's car, leading them to believe that Milchak was inside the car while she and Jensen were watching TV, the family wrote.

"We are thankful that she, too, was not a victim," the Jensens wrote. She is close friends with the Jensen family and, just weeks before Jensen's death, was a bridesmaid in the wedding of his sister, Jennie.

"We are unaware that there was any type of relationship between the young lady and Tate, other than being good friends," the Jensens wrote, adding: "We are not aware that Tate had ever met his assailant."

The family also wrote that they have sympathy for Milchak's family and want them to know "that no ill will is held toward them."

Jensen was buried Monday at the family's Tavaputs ranch, a cattle operation and tourism ranch near Price, Kirby said. Jensen's parents, Butch and Jeanie, rode with his siblings on horseback to a grave in an aspen grove where the ashes of his grandparents were spread, Kirby said.

Butch Jensen led Tate's horse, which carried his empty saddle.

ealberty@sltrib.comTwitter: @erinalberty