A man suspected of murdering a 79-year-old man who died more than two years ago on a farm near Winthrop, Minnesota, has been found guilty.
Court documents show that following a jury trial, 48-year-old Travis Joel Bauer was found guilty of second-degree intentional murder. He was initially charged only with second-degree murder, but in April 2023, he was charged with one count of first-degree premeditated murder. He was found not guilty of this charge.
So far, no date has been set for the announcement of the verdict.
As previously reported by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, a complaint filed in Sibley County states that Bauer called 911 on the afternoon of September 20, 2022, and reported that the man was unresponsive and in the presence of blood.
Officers arrived at the scene and found the body of Dennis Weitzenkamp slumped over a chair in the machinery shed. Investigators later determined he died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head and it appeared he was shot while shucking corn.
Bauer allegedly told investigators that he worked with Weitzenkamp on the farm until lunch, when they went to their homes for a meal. He then said he went back to work on the tractor, but then left to buy antifreeze at Napa Auto Parts in Winthrop, passing Weitzenkamp on Country Road 57 on the way.
But cellphone data shows Bauer’s travel that afternoon did not match what he told investigators.
Bauer claimed he wasn’t back at the farm with the victim until she returned from Napa, but location data showed he and Weitzenkamp were at the farm around 2:16 p.m., according to the complaint. It also seemed that he took a different route into the city than the one she told the police. Moreover, a police body camera captured Weitzenkamp driving less than half an hour before Bauer called 911.
Investigators noted that during Bauer’s repeated interrogation, he admitted to lying about his whereabouts.
Prosecutors say Bauer owed “significant debt” and had difficulty paying his bills. Bauer was also notified about an hour before Weitzenkamp’s body was found that he was in danger of defaulting on his mortgage.
Bauer worked on Weitzenkamp’s farm for years and “was considered part of the family,” the complaint states. Trust documents also revealed that Bauer stands to gain “significant financial benefits” if Weitzenkamp dies.
