MN: Waseca murders: Zabawa guilty

[Pred]

http://www.mankatofreepress.com/local/l ... 13937.html

By Dan Nienaber
Free Press Staff Writer

ROCHESTER —
Michael Zabawa was found guilty on all counts this morning for the 2007 murders of two members of a rural Waseca family.


A jury in Rochester found the 26-year-old Matawan man guilty on 12 felony charges, including six counts of first-degree murder.

On Feb. 3, 2007, Zabawa entered the home of Tracy and Hilary Kruger, shooting Tracy and 13-year-old son Alec to death and severely wounding Hilary.

After hearing nine days of testimony, the jury began deliberations Thursday evening and resumed at about 8:30 a.m. today. The verdict came in at about 10:15 a.m.

[elmerfuddem]

Hopefully, we will never see Michael Zabawa again.

I have a hard time understanding why we the tax payers have to shell out $45,000. per year to keep this scum bag around the rest of his natural life.

I have two suggestions.
1. farm out prisoners to Mexico, just like Dell farms out computer support to India. It is cheaper.
2. Necktie party for Michael Zabawa.

[Fiery Red XIII]

The guys insane...fiert, it was "Iwasn't there", then it was "I was there but never in the house", then it was "They were ok when I left", then it was "I was defending myself", and "It was an accident".

Hell has a special place waiting for him!

Red

[westhope]

Just a few miles from my house.

Wife has strict orders. Does not open door to strangers no matter how cold it is outside. Talk to them through the window as she calls the Sheriff for help (as she is holding a handgun discretely).

It would be hard to leave anyone outside when it is 20 below zero, but that is the way the world is today.

Neighbors, friends; always welcome. Have helped several I have found in trouble in the area. (Usually, not always, was carrying.)

Oh, and Zabawa testified that the shotgun went off accidently several times, even after he reloaded it.

[Pred]

Here's a better article on the guilty verict. We shouldn't have to worry about seeing this POS ever again.

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager ... 2&a=389785

Zabawa sentenced to life in prison for Waseca murders

By Janice Gregorson and Matt Russell
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

Michael Stanley Zabawa was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of release for the murders of Tracy Kruger, 40, and Alec Kruger, 13, in their Waseca farmhouse on a cold February night two years ago.

"I can only hope that Michael Zabawa can take one ounce of the sickness that I've carried with me in my gut for the past two years and carry it with him for the rest of his life," Hilary Kruger said.

Bueltel sentenced Zabawa to life in prison, plus 216 months for the attempted murder of Hilary Kruger, after a 12-person jury returned guilty verdicts on all 12 counts of first- and second-degree murder facing the Matawan man. Jurors deliberated four hours Thursday night and about an hour this morning before delivering the guilty verdicts.

Zabawa was given a chance to make a statement during the sentencing, but did not.

Zabawa, who had pleaded not guilty, was accused of going into the Krugers' farmhouse, taking a 12-gauge shotgun from a basement gun cabinet and climbing up to the second floor and opening fire on the family.

Zabawa's aunt and uncle were in attendance today in the courtroom, as they have been for the trial's two weeks.

After the guilty verdicts were delivered, the case proceeded directly to sentencing. Family and friends of the Krugers gave victim impact statements to the judge. The sounds of their sobs filled the courtroom as they tried to speak.

"I lost not only a brother but a best friend," Theron Kruger, brother of Tracy Kruger, told the judge.

He described the last moments of Tracy's life as "a nightmare from hell."

Hilary, who lost her left arm in the attack, said the attacks have had a lasting effect.

"I can never describe the fear and panic I felt that night as Michael Zabawa stood in my doorway with that smoking shotgun," she said.

She said Zabawa didn't just kill her husband and son, but left her other son, 12-year-old Zak, wondering if his mother might die too from her wounds.

[ttousi]

POS

[ttousi]

I stand corrected