Rice County Man Charged In Shooting Of Housemate: Sheriff

RICE COUNTY, MN — A Morristown man was charged Wednesday in connection with the fatal shooting Tuesday of his housemate, Brian Daniel Stoeckel, 41, according to a news release from the Rice County Sheriff's Office.

Cody Vernon Kolstad, 32, was arrested Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder.

Deputies were called to Kolstad's residence Tuesday morning. The caller told them that Stoeckel was dead and that Kolstad needed to be arrested, according to authorities.

When deputies arrived, they found Kolstad laying face-down with a phone in his hand. According to authorities, he told the deputies he shot Stoeckel in the head.

Deputies found Stoeckel dead in his bed with a gunshot wound to his neck, authorities said.

Before midnight Tuesday, Kolstad said he grabbed a gun from the unlocked gun cabinet in the house and walked to Stoeckel's bedroom, firing at him twice, according to authorities. The first round went through Stoeckel's neck, and the second hit the wall, authorities said.

Kolstad also told investigators he had been taking drugs and was stressed out, but he was sober during the interview, according to authorities.

Kolstad is in custody at Rice County Jail. A bail hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday.