In 1851, Egan returned home after a year traversing the wilderness to discover his wife Tamson had given birth to another man's child. Anguished and feeling betrayed, Egan was determined to rout out the scoundrel  James Madison Monroe, a former friend and teacher of Joseph Smith's children. He found Monroe near Bear River. It appeared the men were talking peacefully until, Stout recorded, "Egan drew a pistol and shot him in the face on the right side of the nose just below the eye."