Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Ecklund pleads guilty, McCollum trial set for March in Pool murder



Before a jury could be selected, Heather Lynn Ecklund,
20, pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of Randy M. Pool.

Authorities believe Pool was held, against his will, in
his home in Hutchinson for approximately three days in July 1999. His hands
and feet were bound, and he was repeatedly beaten and tortured.

He was placed in a duffel bag, where he died of asphyxiation.
His body was thrown off a bridge into the Clearwater River, where it was
discovered on July 28.

The jury selection for Ecklund’s trial began Tuesday, Feb.
1, in Scott County. She pleaded guilty at 10 a.m. on Thursday before any
jurors were selected.

According to McLeod County Attorney Mike Junge, Ecklund
will be sentenced in May with a minimum of 30 years and a maximum of 36
years in prison. He said the sentence will be under the discretion of the
prosecution based on the truthful statement during the trials of Shawn Allen
McCollum, 26, and Toby Earl Johnson, 18.

He also said Ecklund agreed to a longer prison sentence
than in the sentencing guidelines because of the severity of the crime.
The guideline for second-degree intentional murder is 25.5 years in prison.

Because of the particular vulnerability of Pool, the cruelty
of the crime and the crime taking place in Pool’s residence, the sentence
can be more than stated.

Junge said Ecklund admitted that she, along with others,
kidnapped and held Pool against his will and caused him physical harm.

Ecklund, along with Isaac Leroy Engstrom, 22, is the second
of four defendants charged with the first-degree murder, second-degree murder
and kidnapping of Pool to plead guilty to second-degree murder. In doing
so, both the first-degree murder and kidnapping charges were dismissed.

McCollum appeared for an omnibus hearing on Friday where
his attorney, Anthony Nerud, requested a change of venue.

Nerud said the publicity has not necessarily shown undo
prejudice, but there has been enough publicity in the area to make it hard
to find people who do not know about the case. He also said all the defendants
are residents of the county, and it would be hard to find people who do
not know one of them or are not related to them.

Junge opposed the change of venue stating he did not believe
there had been prejudicial publicity. He suggested finding out if a fair
and impartial jury could be found by starting the selection process, and
if one could not be found, grant the change of venue.

Judge Terrence Conkel said he would consider the motion.
He said he was concerned about how orderly a trial could be carried out
during the renovation of the courthouse, which he said may affect the best
interest of justice.

McCollum’s trial is scheduled to begin March 14.

Johnson’s hearing is scheduled on March 24, with the jury
trial set to begin April 11.

Two other defendants, Tanya Ann Caldwell, 24, and Richard
Patrick Ligenza, 21, previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping Pool. Ligenza
was sentenced to three years in prison, while Caldwell has yet to be sentenced.

Junge said Caldwell and Ligenza were charged differently
because of the length of time they were present at the residence.

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