News

Sjol’s murder trial starts in Minot

By Scott Wagar

12/16/2014

Editorial Note: The Bottineau Courant will be reporting on the trial of the murder of Jack Sjol. The newspaper made every attempt to receive court documents on the trial, but the Northwest District Court doesn’t give out its trial transcripts. However, KXNews (Channel 13) has agreed to share their documents with the Courant during its daily coverage of the trial. So, all information on the murder trial comes courtesy of KXNews to the Courant.   

The trial of Ryan Stensaker, who has been charged with the murder of Williston resident, Jack Sjol, officially started on Monday, Dec. 8, with the final pre-trial motions under the jurisdiction of Northwest District Judge David Nelson in Minot.

Stensaker, 34, is accused of murdering Sjol as a hired gunman in April of 2013. According to court documents, one witness during the Sjol investigation stated that Stensaker informed him that he was hired to kill Sjol by a motorcycle gang called the Sons of Silence and that Stensaker and some associates conducted the killing. 

Stensaker will also be tried on aggravated assault, a felon in the possession of a firearm and drug charges. 

PRE-TRIAL

On Monday, Nelson requested a 12 member jury for the murder trial along with two alternates from 100 potential jurors. 

The potential jurors were interviewed on Tuesday by the attorneys on both sides of the trial with seven women and seven men chosen to serve on the jury.

TRIAL – DAY 1

On Wednesday, Dec. 10, the trial started with opening statements. Prosecutor Nathan Madden stated to jurors that Sjol was killed with a rifle by being shot first in the torso and then in the head. 

Defense attorney, Steven Mottinger, replied back to the jury that the prosecution would prove a number of facts in Sjol’s death, but warned the jurors that the prosecution wouldn’t be able to prove how the killing happened or who committed the crime.

The first witness called was Kelly Blomberg, who was Sjol’s girlfriend at the time of his death, she stated that the last day she spoke with Sjol was on April 24, and that on April 25 when she could not get a hold of him, Blomberg and her son went to Sjol’s ranch where they discovered blood, Sjol’s glasses and shell casings in the driveway. 

The Blombergs called the local police and an investigation was started. Three weeks later, law enforcement discovered Sjol’s body in a private dump site partially buried, which was owned by a man named Isaac Steen.

In Madden’s opening statement, he stated that tire tracks were found at the dump site near Sjol’s body and those same tracks were also found in Sjol’s driveway at his ranch. 

Madden added that through the police investigation Stensaker became a suspect in the murder. Law enforcement discovered that Stensaker was at times living in his mother’s home and they acquired a search warrant for her home, and it was there the police found evidence they felt connected Stensaker to the murder.

“When they went into his room they opened up the bed,” Madden said. “Basically took the mattress off the box spring or whatever happened to be supporting the mattress and they found a Remington model 722 bolt action.”

Mottinger spent the afternoon of the first day of the trial questioning Amanda McNamee, the lead detective in the Sjol murder case. Mottinger asked McNamee if they had a motive against Stensaker and if law enforcement had any other suspects they considered.

McNamee stated the police had no motive and that other individuals had been suspects in the case. 

Mottinger then tried to turn the jury against Blomberg’s former husband, Terry Blomberg. 

Mottinger asked McNamee if Sjol had individuals who “weren’t very happy with him for various reasons,” which McNamee stated that Sjol did have people who “were not exactly friends with Mr. Sjol.” 

Mottinger then asked McNamee if Terry Blomberg was one of those individuals, which she stated “yes” to. 

Madden cross examined McNamee where he asked her if law enforcement had searched Terry Blomberg’s residence, which McNamee said the police had done so. Madden questioned here if a 300 Savage rifle was found in his home, which she stated there wasn’t a rifle model of that type found in Blomberg’s house.

Madden then asked if law enforcement found a 300 Savage rifle in Stensaker’s bedroom, which McNamee said yes to.

Mottinger finished out the first day by asking McNamee if one round of the specific type of ammunition that was used in Sjol’s killing was discovered in Terry Bloomberg’s home and she said yes. 

Madden went to counter Mottinger’s questions, but Nelson stopped the trial for the day. 

DAY 2

On day two of the trial, Madden questioned McNamee on what the name was of the type of ammunition cartridge found with Stensaker’s 300 Savage rifle which she stated was Federal.

Madden then asked her if any Federal casings where found at Sjol’s residence which she stated no. 

Throughout the day, Madden called a number of witnesses to testify on the guns and ammunition that was found in the home of Stensaker’s mother. A number of individuals who testified stated they saw a Remington rifle that was made to utilize 300 Savage shells, which is apparently a rare find.

“At crime scenes I don’t know if I’ve ever seen it, a 300 Savage,” said Tim Erickson of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. “I go to a lot of gun shows and do hand loading and see it show up, but not normally in a Remington bolt action rifle.” 

For Mottinger on the second day, he spent his time questioning witnesses of law enforcement if they knew where the firearms were at in and around the time of Sjol’s killing; who handled them; or if Stensaker ever handled the weapons. 

The witnesses all agreed that they had no knowledge of the questions asked by Mottinger. 

However, Mottinger also questioned Candace Kolterman who was renting a room at the home of Stensaker’s mother in April, who stated she saw Stensaker with a long gun in his mother’s house and the room he slept in.

“He was playing with the gun and clicking the lever or trigger over and over again, starring off into space,” Kolterman said. 
Dr. Ron Seely was the last to testify on day two where he identified a crown that belonged to Sjol to the jurors. Seely stated that the crown was found in Sjol’s driveway.

The jury was given Friday off, but the trial will resume again this week.