Krueger trial opens in Huron courtroom

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HURON – Keith Houck was lured to the rural Huron farm of Kevin Krueger in late May 2016 with the promise he would be paid money that had been owed to him for some time, evidence presented by the prosecution indicated on the first day of Krueger’s first-degree murder trial.
Beadle County State’s Attorney Mike Moore told jurors in his opening statement that Houck’s battered body was found at Krueger’s farm, the defendant had blood on his shoes and that Krueger told a deputy sheriff a few days later that Houck was dead and that he had hit him with a baseball bat.
“The defendant set a trap and took Keith’s life,” Moore said. “It’s as simple as that.”
But defense attorney Zachary Flood of Mitchell countered in his opening statement that another man, Jose Antonio Vega of Montevideo, Minn., had already pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter in the May 31, 2016 death and is in the state penitentiary.
By entering that plea, Vega took responsibility for Houck’s death, Flood said.
He said no fingerprints or DNA was found on the alleged weapon.
“There’s nothing to tie Kevin to that baseball bat,” Flood said.
Also, he said Krueger voluntarily reported Houck’s death to Beadle County Deputy Sheriff Shane Ball. While Krueger told Ball he had committed the crime, that can’t be true because Vega took responsibility for it, Flood said.

Both opening statements were brief and, after a day of testimony, the state appears ready to rest its case this morning.
Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Jeff Kollars said Houck’s body was found on June 3, three days after the victim died. He was discovered under a pile of tires.
Dr. Kenneth Snell, a forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy in Sioux Falls, said there were multiple abrasions and contusions on the body and fractures to the ribs, left arm and skull. Cause of death was two blows to the head.
Ball testified that Krueger told him Houck was dead and buried on his farm.
Kollars testified as video footage was shown to jurors where the body was found. There was also a photo of a baseball bat.
The investigation led law enforcement officers to Vega. He was arrested by Montevideo police and extradited to Beadle County.
Forensic scientists Heather Specht and Amber Bell from the state crime lab testified about their findings. Specht said no fingerprints were detected on the bat, and Bell said she could not determine through DNA who was holding the bat.
Special Agent Brett Spencer said his investigation began when he was told someone was missing and possibly the victim of a homicide.
They looked for Houck, but were unable to locate him. Spencer said he learned on June 3 of Krueger’s conversation with Ball.
He said the relationship between Krueger and Vega had to do with drugs.
A search at Vega’s residence in Minnesota turned up stereo equipment from Houck’s vehicle, he said.
Spencer also testified as to a number of text messages between Houck, Krueger and Krueger’s girlfriend, Bonnie Goehring, on the day of the death. There were also three messages between Krueger and Vega.
Messages indicated that Houck had been trying to get money that was owed him, and the texts between him, Krueger and Goehring went on for much of the day, culminating in the evening with Houck saying he would come out to see Krueger at his farm.
Defense attorney Clint Sargent questioned Spencer about Houck’s common practice of wearing a pistol on his person.
Houck also tested positive for methamphetamine, but Spencer said he didn’t know the level of it in his system.