Father to children: ‘I’m sorry’ on Owatonna

DODGE CENTER — As Ismael Bugarin attacked his three children with a knife in their Dodge Center home Saturday evening, he repeatedly said, “I’m sorry,” according to a criminal complaint filed against him Wednesday.

The complaint said Bugarin, 33, first stabbed, then shot his 27-year-old wife, Teresa, before turning on his three children. Both Teresa Bugarin and the couple’s 12-year-old son, Nicholas Bugarin, died as a result of their wounds.

Ismael Bugarin was charged Wednesday with two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of his wife and son. He also is charged with two counts of attempted murder for the attacks on his daughters, Jasmine, 8, and Sabrina, 6.

The girls were taken to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester Saturday evening with stab wounds but were released Tuesday, according to the hospital. Family friends said the girls will be staying with an aunt.

Details of the attack emerged Wednesday in the warrant complaint signed by Dodge County District Judge Lawrence Agerter.

According to the complaint, the family had returned home from an outing Saturday when Ismael and Teresa Bugarin began to quarrel. Teresa Bugarin had decided to move out of the house with their children and divorce her husband. As the argument escalated, Ismael Bugarin pinned his wife on the floor, attacked her with a knife and then shot her. The bullet grazed her left wrist, but then entered her neck, partially severing her spinal cord rendering her helpless.

Investigators said that Teresa Bugarin had multiple defensive wounds and suffered a deep stab wound to her chest as well as six sharp force wounds to her neck.

During the attack, Teresa Bugarin screamed for help and the children ran to the room where their parents were. When the children tried to flee the room and leave the home, their father followed them and slashed one of the girls in the neck and face. He then cut Nick’s neck and went behind the second girl and stabbed her under the chin. Throughout the attacks, Ismael Bugarin repeatedly said, “I’m sorry,” the complaint says.

At some point during the attack, Nick was able to grab the knife and stab his father twice in the back before running next door with his sisters for help, investigators believe. Ismael Bugarin followed his children before returning to his own home. He then grabbed another knife and “severely” cut both of his wrists, according to the complaint.

Dodge County Sheriff’s deputies found Nick Bugarin inside the doorway of a neighbor’s home in a pool of blood and with a bloody knife next to him. The boy bled to death on the scene. The two girls told the deputy that their mother had been shot and both she and their father were still in their home next door.

When deputies entered the Bugarin home, they found both Ismael and Teresa Bugarin lying on the floor in a back room of the home. The gun believed to have been used to shoot Teresa Bugarin was recovered.

Ismael Bugarin, who was still listed in serious condition on Wednesday at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, was employed by McNelius as an assembler. Teresa Bugarin was a hair dresser and worked at the Dodge County Courthouse. She also worked for McQuay International as a welder and brazer.

Friends of Teresa Bugarin described her as an “exceptionally sweet and nice person.” McQuay employees said a moment of silence would be held this week to pray for Teresa.

Dodge County Sheriff Gary Thompson said Wednesday that he expects the warrant complaint will be served on Ismael Bugarin today, at which point Bugarin will be formally taken into custody.

If convicted of all four charges, Bugarin faces up to 120 years in prison.

Wendy Reuer can be reached at 444-1565.

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Member Opinions: By: Eunice on 11/12/08 How truly sad. By: Thinking_Outloud on 11/13/08 I am saddened and ill by the details of this crime. Hopefully justice is served accurately and swiftly. Even more important, I pray that those little girls are able to heal from this. I am not speaking of their knife wounds, but the damage to their souls having witnessed what they did, and having their own daddy attack them in such a way. My heart aches for them. May God watch over them and protect them from any future harm. They are true victims here. And finally, may Teresa and Nick rest in peace with our Lord by their side. What a horrific ending...a waste. By: Jori on 11/13/08 I agree...I became ill reading the details of this. How tragic for those children. Their lives will never be the same. By: stormchaser28 on 11/13/08 This is a tragic case of domestic violence. Very, very sad. I also hope the girls recover from seeing their whole family normalcy wiped out right in front of them.
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