Bottom Line: The dead man's brother testified "it was just another bar fight in Harrison County." The judge added "until it wasn't any longer."
The defendant waived a jury trial, found guilty of 1st degree murder at bench trial; he received a life sentence this week.
IANAL but according to the judge's findings and conclusions (they're quoted in newspaper article link below):
In December 2020 some guys in Iowa were out drinking.
Kristofer Erlbacher (a.k.a. the defendant) "for some reason" put mayonnaise on food ordered by Caleb Solberg (now known as the dearly departed).
Solberg didn't like it and punched Erlbacher.
Erlbacher and a friend left, went to another bar in different town and continued drinking.
The defendant Erlbacher called Solberg's brother, Craig Pryor, and threatened to burn down Solberg's house and kill him with a shotgun as he came out.
Both brothers went to the second bar where Solberg got in a fight in the parking lot with Erlbacher's friend.
Fight ended "on its own" and brother Craig Pryor left.
Erlbacher came out, got in his pickup and hit Solberg, who was still alive at that point and heard screaming for his brother.
Erlbacher drove off, turned around and came back. He ran over Solberg and hit a parked SUV before he ran "up and over" Solberg one last time.
Erlbacher left in his pickup, which was leaking transmission fluid and later broke down.
Erlbacher called the brother and admitted killing Solberg, saying "...we won’t have to worry about his mouth anymore. I would have got you too, but I kind of like your kids."
Suspect called his father for a ride back to the bar; after being read his rights he "denied striking and killing Solberg."
loganwoodbine.com
loganwoodbine.com
The defendant waived a jury trial, found guilty of 1st degree murder at bench trial; he received a life sentence this week.
IANAL but according to the judge's findings and conclusions (they're quoted in newspaper article link below):
In December 2020 some guys in Iowa were out drinking.
Kristofer Erlbacher (a.k.a. the defendant) "for some reason" put mayonnaise on food ordered by Caleb Solberg (now known as the dearly departed).
Solberg didn't like it and punched Erlbacher.
Erlbacher and a friend left, went to another bar in different town and continued drinking.
The defendant Erlbacher called Solberg's brother, Craig Pryor, and threatened to burn down Solberg's house and kill him with a shotgun as he came out.
Both brothers went to the second bar where Solberg got in a fight in the parking lot with Erlbacher's friend.
Fight ended "on its own" and brother Craig Pryor left.
Erlbacher came out, got in his pickup and hit Solberg, who was still alive at that point and heard screaming for his brother.
Erlbacher drove off, turned around and came back. He ran over Solberg and hit a parked SUV before he ran "up and over" Solberg one last time.
Erlbacher left in his pickup, which was leaking transmission fluid and later broke down.
Erlbacher called the brother and admitted killing Solberg, saying "...we won’t have to worry about his mouth anymore. I would have got you too, but I kind of like your kids."
Suspect called his father for a ride back to the bar; after being read his rights he "denied striking and killing Solberg."
Verdict for Erlbacher – guilty of murder in the first degree
Judge’s findings cite “just another bar fight” until it wasn’t any longer
Erlbacher sentenced to life in prison
District Court Judge Greg W. Steensland ordered a life of incarceration for Kristofer Allen Erlbacher, 29, of Woodbine, at a sentencing hearing at the Harrison County Courthouse in Logan on
