Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Dodge Center, MN: Life in prison for SE Minn. man who killed wife, son

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune
February 24, 2010

A southeastern Minnesota man will spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his wife and son -- and failing to kill his two daughters only because the son intervened.

Ismael Bugarin, 35, of Dodge Center, pleaded guilty in Dodge County District Court to first-degree premeditated murder and other charges Tuesday. He was immediately sentenced to life without parole and another 61 years in prison, which he will serve concurrently.

Bugarin stabbed and shot his wife during a domestic dispute at their home on Nov. 8, 2008, then stabbed their three children. His wife, Teresa, 27, died in their home.

Their 12-year-old son, Nick, collapsed and bled to death at the neighbor's home from a stab wound to the neck.

The two girls survived, authorities say, thanks to their brother. Nick wrested the knife from his father and fought back, giving the girls -- ages 8 and 6 -- time to flee to the home of neighbors.

The boy stabbed his father twice in the back after the elder Bugarin had shot and stabbed his wife because she had decided to leave with the children and seek a divorce, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities say Bugarin tried to kill himself by slitting his wrists after the attack. He was hospitalized for more than a week.

Ismael Bugarin was employed at McNelius, a truck manufacturing company. In the late 1990s, he was arrested at least twice on allegations of domestic assault.

Star Tribune staff writer Chao Xiong contributed to this report.

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