OWATONNA — Many tears were shed Wednesday, as some of those who spent the last hours of Brandon Karsten’s life with him testified in the trial of the man accused of contributing to his death.
Ronald Heard, 53, is charged with one count of third-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Karsten on July 27, 2008.
Testimony by Karsten’s former girlfriend, Stephanie Nelson, concluded Wednesday. Nelson found Karsten unresponsive at his mother’s home in Faribault the night of July 26, 2008, or in the early morning hours of July 27, 2008. She eventually took Karsten to the Owatonna Hospital at about 5 a.m. and he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
According to an autopsy report, Karsten died of toxicity from a mixture of drugs. The most prevalent drug in his system was Fentanyl — a highly potent pain reliever usually prescribed in a patch form.
The actions of all those involved between the time when Nelson first found Karsten at his mother’s home and when she arrived at the hospital is what prosecutors and defense attorneys are sifting through as the trial progresses.
Nelson testified that she took Karsten to Heard’s Medford home before going to the hospital.
“When I had left the house in Medford, (Heard) was very concerned (the Fentanyl patch) would be traced back to him. At the time, he said, ‘There’s not a lot of people who have a prescription for it in Medford,’” Nelson testified.
Nelson testified she was concerned about getting herself and others into trouble.
“In the drug world, telling people that kind of stuff is not OK, but because it was the death of somebody, and somebody I cared about, is why I did it,” she said.
Nelson testified as to her state of mind when talking to investigators after Karsten was confirmed dead.
“I was very emotional. Things happened very quickly. I wouldn’t say it’s comparable to anything. It definitely hit me like a brick wall,” she said.
An ex-girlfriend and current friend of Karsten’s also testified Wednesday. Erin Gillen said she had known Karsten for about eight years and the two dated off and on. They had stopped dating about three months prior to his death.
Karsten called Gillen and asked her to pick him up in Medford the evening before his death. Gillen said Karsten was walking “away from” the Lazy U Mobile Home Park — where Heard’s home is located — when she picked him up and took him back to his mother’s home in Faribault.
Gillen testified that Karsten had been laughing, joking and “being himself” as he picked up a pizza before arriving home. She testified Karsten did not appear suicidal in any way, nor did she see a suicide pamphlet near him at this mother’s home.
Defense attorney Charles Hawkins said in his opening statement that Karsten may have killed himself, perhaps accidently.
Hawkins presented Gillen with text messages between her and Karsten that day. One of the messages that Gillen sent said she left because Karsten “was in a bad mood, that he was always in a bad mood.”
Gillen testified to her last contact with Karsten, saying that he texted her to say he would see her the next day.
The live-in girlfriend of Heard, Melissa Madson, also took the stand Wednesday. She began her testimony by telling prosecutor Dan McIntosh she was not good with dates and times, asking at one point if the current year was 2009 or 2011.
McIntosh said he attributed her temporary confusion of the date to nerves and she was beginning to answer clearly as testimony concluded for the day.
However, after jurors left the courtroom, Hawkins told Judge Casey Christian that Madson had an appointment with her psychiatrist Thursday and he was concerned about her credibility.
An attorney for Madson said he would like to question her psychiatrist to see if the doctor has any concerns about her competency. However, he said Madson has been seeing a psychiatrist for more than a year.
Christian said if she has been seeing a psychiatrist for 16 months, any concerns regarding her competency should have been brought to light already. However, he did schedule a competency hearing regarding Madson for 8:15 a.m. today.
Testimony is scheduled to resume today at 8:30 a.m.
By: Geneva_Queen on 12/17/09
Kids, This is what happens when you do drugs. Are you willing to lose your life over it?
By: creegers on 12/17/09
GQ, give it a break! I don't think all the drug addicts are here reading. why? because there to busy doing drugs or are to high to care or comprehend. I had to use the patches for 3 months for a medical condition. you are gone on them things. my wife backed me off of them, so i was able to think and function normal.And it's a federal offense to share or sell them. That should be a red light for anybody!!think my blood pressure meds are going to kill me or keep me alive?
By: Gymnast1923 on 12/17/09
Always negativity GQ... nag nag nag... not everyone who does drugs is going to DIE.... watch intervention sometime!!! you may start to UNDERSTAND what ADDICTION means!!!!! grrrr
By: katokid88 on 12/17/09
gq heres a joke for you...
A speedfreak is out walking one fine evening. He finds a poor person on the street and helps him up. The poor person says, "Son, I'm a genie. And since you helped me I'll give you three wishes."
The speedfreak says, "I want a big bag of meth!", the genie says."Okay." POOF, the bag appears! They prepare some thick long white lines and share it between the two of them.
The next morning the genie asks "What's the second wish?", "I want two big bags of meth", says the speedfreak. "Okay," says the genie. POOF! And they prepare it and snort it between the two of them.
The next morning the genie asks "And the third wish?" "I want four big bags of meth!" POOOF!! So, they prepare lots of big lines and share it between the two of them.
Much later the genie gets up and says, "Okay, it's time for me to go." The genie takes a couple of steps, pauses, turns around and says, "Okay, just one more wish." ------
see, drugs are funny... *rolls eyes
By: KevinB on 12/17/09
G_Q. Get out of Geneva much? Have a clue what goes on in the real world besides what Oprah tells you?
By: Mindyourpeace on 12/17/09
So did this guy have multiple girlfriends at the same time? Not that it matters, but I was just curious.
By: TheHelp on 12/17/09
Kids, this isn't what happens when you do drugs.
This is what happens if you're irresponsible and not careful with your life.
Alcohol is a drug and there isn't anything wrong with using it (legally)....RESPONSIBLY
By: slundber on 12/17/09
TheHelp: Don't you read the Bob/Bev LTE's? You won't go to heaven if you drink even one drop of alcohol. (Not that I would even want to go there if they only admit teetotalers!)
By: bubbles on 12/17/09
i went to school with brandon. he never seemed to be the type to this kind of crap. i was shocked when i first saw the article in the paper as i had not seen or spoke to him years.
By: Geneva_Queen on 12/17/09
KevinB, Why yes I do. As one of my previous posts states, I grew up in Geneva and currently reside in Owatonna. I don't watch Oprah, but it appears you know more about the show than I do. Why don't you enlighten us?
By: Geneva_Queen on 12/17/09
Gymnast1923, Addiction wouldn't be an issue if people would pay attention to the public warnings and NOT start in the first place. A few days ago I asked WHY people started and ignored the danger warnings they hear every day. Strange, not a single Ulrich friend or family member wanted to answer the question. Maybe they also have no self control and drink heavily, and maybe even do drugs. Too ashamed to admit they had no self control and tried it anyway would be my guess.
By: Bobo777 on 12/17/09
GQ, while I can understand where you're coming from (don't ask why), Troy Ulrich is not the one on trial here. The Ortegas are. Picking a forum like this to talk about drug addiction is not the best discourse. But if we are going to play the game of warning signs, then I am sure we would all be on trial here for a variety of addictions. Nothing gets done when one constantly casts stones, but takes action. I've been following your posts and even as a casual observer of Ulrich's, you should have followed through with your own words and sought help for him instead of let it get to the point where he was murdered (you see how ridiculous that sounds?). I sincerely hope you're not someone who works in the health or education fields, otherwise you would probably be eating your own words. This the only thing I'll have to post on.
By: acorn on 12/17/09
GQ- How DARE you say anything like that about Troy's family or friends. I am a friend of his family's and I take major offense to that. They are all so sweet, loving, and accepting. That is so rude to assume because someone may have been using drugs or alcohol, that their entire family is doing the same. One word to describe you: TRASH! You give this whole community a bad name and make us all look bad. Why do you think NO ONE here likes you?
By: kadrmas21 on 12/18/09
Yeah Geneva Queen, you really need to get off your high horse. I have smoked pot a handful of times but done nothing else, does that make me some drug addicted piece of trash that deserves to get murdered? I mean my God, you can hate on Troy Ulrich or on Brandon Karsten, or whoever else. They were human beings, they had their problems. Just like you and me and all of us have our problems too (oh wait geneva queen you are perfect I forgot about that). However Troy Ulrich, regardless if he was a druggie or a drunk did not deserve to be murdered by the Ortega's. Period. There is no excuse for that.
As for Brandon Karsten, I think this case should not even be on trial. Ronald Heard should not be on trial for murder. Like I have said before, this would be like putting a car salesman on trial for murder because he sold a car to someone and they ended up crashing and dying. The fact of the matter is, if you want to charge Heard for being a drug dealer that is one thing. But to charge him with murder when he did not murder someone? I just do not agree with that.
Geneva Queen, you frankly are a low life. You are actually lower than the drug users and drinkers you profess to hate so much. You remind me of one of these holier than thou people that thinks because you do not drink and go to Church every Sunday that it automatically makes you some good, moral person. You love to stand on the sidelines and throw bricks and then you adopt a new desperate strategy of laying blame. Oh, it was Troy Ulrich;s families fault that he drank and did drugs, oh it is their fault they did not get him help, oh it is their fault he was murdered in addition to Troy's own fault. Bull. Yes from all the reading I have done here Troy Ulrich had substance abuse issues and needed help. However he and he alone was the only one that could make that decision. Troy Ulrich is in Heaven right now and frankly Geneva Queen, Troy Ulrich just from what I have read about him, despite his problems, he was more of a human being than you could ever hope to be.
By: wastemytaxes on 12/18/09
----"Like I have said before, this would be like putting a car salesman on trial for murder because he sold a car to someone and they ended up crashing and dying" - kadrmas21---
Please explain when it became illegal to sell cars? Your analogy is ridiculous.
By: kadrmas21 on 12/18/09
Actually it is not ridiculous. The fact you missed the point on that tells all I need to know. I was not saying or implying that selling cars was illegal. What I was saying that okay, some guy sells drugs to someone (who knows what it could potentially do to him as in kill him). The same applies to cars. You know driving a car could potentially kill you in you could get an accident, you could drive under the influence, whatever. Does that make the salesman guilty of murder? No. I have never heard anyone allege such. So why is it different from drug dealers? Wise up wastemytaxes and stay away from the ballot box please since it is obvious you do not know what you are talking about!
By: just_my_opinion on 12/18/09
Geneva Queen, I am with you in that I don't really understand "why" people start doing drugs..I have never even smoked pot. I will however say, that it is not for me to understand it is their life and their choice. I will say that being the "outstanding" citizen you pretend to be..you certainly do NOT show any class in any of these chats. This website is designed to share your opinion, not to bash and badmouth everything that YOU don't believe in and feel is right. You obviously have strong feelings about drug use. Maybe you should stop hurting feeling by posting here and volunteer some of your time to the D.A.R.E program that is designed to help kids make good choices and keep them off drugs. I am quite sure that some volunteer time would be much more beneficial to all of us, including our children.
By: katokid88 on 12/18/09
has anyone ever heard a positive comment out of GQ's mouth? she must be depressed.
By: ridiculous on 12/18/09
And yes GQ at 13 I had NO self control - and I made stupid decisions and could have easily been brutally murdered I suppose but as I am now a law abiding citizen, and am focusing my life on being able to help others in need or struggling with addictions.
By: ridiculous on 12/18/09
GQ- here is your answer - I myself started using to hide the anger and abandonment of my past - to hide my emotions and my depression - to find a sense of belonging to not have to deal with the suicides of my past - maybe I started for some attention, negative or positive whatever it was attention - mind you I started at 13 - I guess I just wasn't mature enough or adult enough at 13 to make the 'appropriate' decisions - I WAS 13!!! I am now putting myself out there for you to bash on me and my family just for your satisfaction of having an answer - people use for many different reasons - I am NOW currently studying to help people in need, to help them make better decisions and let me tell you addiction was not something I woke up one day and thought MAN sounds like a good idea - lets become a drug addict!!!!!! It was hell - that I myself put myself through and don't blame anyone, thank God that I had the will power and strength to overcome this disease - FOR TODAY - One Day At A Time!!
By: quinn on 12/18/09
ridiculous, congrats on turning your life around. If anyone is ignorant enough to bash on you for you candor, it speaks to their lack of character, not yours.
By: theman on 1/9/10
The truth is miss nelson and brandon tibota robbed mr. Karsten for his money and personal belongings. They drove around with him in the car for about two hours and let him die. who should be charged?
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