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by Dawn Slade 
Witnesses continue to be called by the prosecution to testify in the Jeremy Jason Hull case. Hull has been charged with the first degree murder of Lewis James Wilczek.
Wilczek was killed Sunday, April 29, 2007. He was 21 years old.
Witnesses testified that Hull was “calm” and “polite” when he transferred $50,000 from Wilczek’s account, purchased a Harley Davidson motorcycle, riding apparel and insurance after allegedly killing Wilczek, then burning and burying his body.
During Monday’s opening statements, the prosecuting attorney, Eric Schieferdecker of the attorney general’s office, said witnesses and evidence will show Hull planned to murder Wilczek. Defense attorney Andrew Northrup, however, said there was a struggle between the two men and Hull “caused the death of Wilczek.”
Testimony during the first four days repeatedly told of Hull’s use of Wilczek’s identity, as well as that of Chad Gombos, the late Keith Ransom and the late Calvin Leonard.
One of Wilczek’s friends, Joshua Bue, who testified on Tuesday, said Wilczek told him to call 911 if he did not hear from Wilczek by 6 p.m. the day of his death. Bue did not call 911, but on April 30th found a note on the door of Wilczek’s business suggesting Wilczek had left town unexpectedly and closed his shop. Bue said it was not Wilczek’s handwriting.
Day Three
Most witnesses on Wednesday identified Hull in court as the man they had contact with who was using the name Lewis Wilczek.
Wednesday’s testimony began with St. Cloud Police Officer Paul Grams telling the court he pulled Hull over after dispatch had received a call from Wilczek’s sister, Norine, stating she found her brother’s truck but it was not her brother using the vehicle.
When he asked for Hull’s identification, Hull gave the officer Wilczek’s driver’s license. When Grams told the driver he’d been pulled over because he was reported missing, Grams said of Hull, “He looked at me with astonishment on his face.”
Grams also said Hull was, “very cooperative, seemed at ease. I believed everything he was telling me.”
Hull continued to claim he was Wilczek, even to the point of claiming Norine (who was in the car behind Hull) was his sister. Norine told the officer otherwise.
Hull was arrested on outstanding warrants and for giving police false information.
Kirsten Cox, who manages an apartment complex where Hull resided at the time of the murder, testified that Hull had rented the apartment under the name Chad Gombos.
Cox testified that Hull was “nice, charming and friendly.”
Robin Stein, who works at the Stearns County license center, testified that Hull had been at her office on Monday, April 30, 2007 to renew a vehicle registration.
As proof of identification, Hull provided Stein with Wilczek’s license. However, because Wilczek’s truck was registered in his company’s name, Stein required more documentation from Hull.
Northrup asked of Hull’s demeanor and Stein said he was mild mannered, there was no frustration.
Marie “C.J.” Janey was next on the stand. She is the financial and insurance manager at Donahue Harley Davidson in St. Cloud.
She testified that Hull purchased a $15,000 motorcycle using the name of Lewis Wilczek. At first, Janey denied a deposit for the motorcycle as Hull was using a “starter” check and did not have a matching address from his driver’s license. Janey said Hull returned later with a cashier’s check from a bank for the full amount, which satisfied the manager’s requirement.
Another testimony was heard from Lacey Benzkofer of Donahue Harley Davidson who sold Hull over $1,500 in jackets, hats, chaps and vests.
A former co-worker of Hull’s, Marcus Platz, testified that at the end of April or beginning of May, Hull showed up at Platz’s home with a brand-new motorcycle. The two talked for roughly an hour about the bike and work. Hull told Platz he had cashed in some certificates of deposit to pay for the bike.
All those who testified at this point identified Hull as the man in court who they had dealt with.
William Holker, a State Farm Insurance agent, testified that Hull bought insurance for the motorcycle and Wilczek’s truck (using Wilczek’s identification), but he could not positively identify Hull in court.
He remembered the transaction itself clearly, however, as he said people typically shop prices, especially when it’s a high premium like a motorcycle.
“It just never happens that way,” Holker said. “It was probably one of the easiest sales I’ve ever done.”
A cell phone sales person testified that Hull purchased a cell phone with “lots of features” that was activated immediately. She, did not remember Hull’s face either, but remembered the sale itself.
Damaging testimony for the defense was given by Chris Froelke, who worked for Geyer Rental in St. Cloud, and rented a Bobcat to Hull on May 1, 2007.
Hull requested a Bobcat with tracks, Froelke said. “He told me he needed to move some dirt, do some excavating.”
When asked about Hull’s demeanor, Froelke said, “A little bit of nervousness from him. Definitely not normal. It seemed odd.”
Benton County Deputy Daniel Dalton testified he had assisted Hull on May 1 when Hull was driving Wilczek’s truck towing a Bobcat. The tire was going flat and throwing chunks just west of the sheriff’s office in Foley when Dalton met Hull.
“He seemed calm,” the deputy told the court about Hull.
When the tire on the trailer blew, Hull contacted Froelke who told Hull to get it fixed and they would work out a price when the Bobcat was returned.
Hull’s demeanor was different when he returned the equipment, Froelke noted.
“He was much more calm, like a load [was] lifted off his shoulders.”
Froelke went on to say that Hull had washed the Bobcat, “which I thought was definitely abnormal.”
Northrup questioned Froelke about his initial identification of Hull when BCA agents interviewed Froelke, saying Froelke was initially more certain of the truck Hull drove than remembering his face.
Schieferdecker came back and asked Froelke if there was any doubt that Hull was the one in the courtroom who rented the Bobcat. “No doubt in my mind,” Froelke responded.
Tyler Rossman worked at Geyer also and helped Hull back up to the trailer and load the Bobcat. Rossman said Hull mumbled a little when he picked up the Bobcat and said of Hull’s return, “He seemed like he was in a better mood.”
Adam Hellickson is the shop manager at K&K Tire & Auto in Foley where Hull had the trailer tire fixed. He testified that a deputy pulled in behind Hull and left. He identified Wilczek’s truck as the one Hull was driving and confirmed that payment was made by a check from Performance Exhaust and Metal Fabrication (Wilczek’s business), but the $86.27 check later bounced.
The mechanic who fixed the tire, Joey Mckasick, described Hull’s demeanor. “He seemed anxious, moving around a lot,” Mckasick said. “He wore a baseball hat, sunglasses. Real anxious.”
Another witness, Lisa Zolin, the human resources manager for SJ Louis Construction, testified that someone came in to fill out a job application using Wilczek’s name, but she couldn’t positively identify Hull in court.
She had noted on his application, “nice kid, seems very motivated to work.”
Wells Fargo personal banker Lois Pollard-Hawkinson assisted Hull the day after Wilczek was murdered. Hull wanted to open accounts at the bank and establish credit under Wilczek’s name. He told her he wanted to buy a motorcycle.
Pollard-Hawkinson admitted it seemed unusual because he seemed young for having $50,000 in the bank, but Hull told her he was self-employed and that his parents helped him start the business.
Most of the money was transferred from Wilczek’s St. Francis Credit Union account to the Wells Fargo account. Two certificate of deposits were created - one for $5,000 and one for $16,000 for the motorcycle.
That afternoon Hull returned to finish up the paperwork.
When asked about his demeanor, the bank employee said Hull was, “Calm. He was fine.”
A teller from the Little Falls credit union, Edwinna Marty, knew Wilczek had been reported missing. He was a client of the credit union.
Around 1:30 p.m. on May 1, 2007, she received a call from someone saying he was Wilczek and that he wanted the amount in his savings account and that he wanted to transfer the money. She informed him that she needed his date of birth and social security number, which he correctly gave. But when she asked the caller for his mother’s maiden name, there was silence.
“Lewis, are you there or did I lose you?” Marty asked. The caller hung up.
The teller had her wits about her and dialed *69 to get the number of the person who called her. She then called Sharon Wilczek (Lewis’ mother) and the Little Falls Police Department.
The final witness on Wednesday was Brian Ott who said a U-Haul storage unit was rented by a Calvin Leonard from January to May, 2006.
Day Four
On Thursday, St. Cloud Police Officer and lead investigator on the case for the department, Nathaniel Brovold, testified that a birth certificate for the late Calvin Leonard was found in Hull’s apartment.
Several items of evidence and photographs of evidence were brought out for the jury to see on Thursday as Brovold explained the evidence that was seized from Hull’s apartment and Wilczek’s pickup truck.
Some items included Wilczek’s business checkbook (found in Hull’s apartment), Leonard’s school transcript, titles to vehicles owned by the Wilczek family members, documents related to Wilczek’s business and vehicle and residence keys belonging to the Wilczek family.
St. Cloud Police Office Michael Lewandowski also testified about evidence seized from property owned by Casey Jo Oldenburg’s parents (Oldenburg pled guilty in June to aiding an offender after the fact and obstructing the investigation).
A computer hard drive was found in an abandoned vehicle on the property, along with a notebook and documents.
One letter from Hull to Oldenburg while Hull was in jail was read aloud to the court, which stated (in part), “You completely rolled over on me and plead guilty. That just kills me. Unless I can prove this was not an actual plan...”
The jury was allowed to read copies of more letters.
Sgt. Charles Strack of the Little Falls Police Department testified that in September 2006 he responded to a theft report made by Wilczek - a large amount of cash and business checks. No one was apprehended, but Hull’s name was brought up by Wilczek during the investigation.
Months later, Strack assisted with the search warrant at Hull’s apartment in May 2007, where he found a pair of black Nike tennis shoes in a closet near the entry of the apartment.
BCA Agent Eric Jaeche is the lead investigator for the BCA. He testified to photographs that had been taken of Hull without clothing and described some minor injuries on Hull’s arm. He testified they were not recent injuries.
He also reviewed cell phone records for Wilczek, Hull and Oldenburg, which included text messages between Hull and Oldenburg.
Laura Kiel testified that she owned a computer when living in the lower level of a home where Hull was living with his aunt. The computer was stolen and Kiel reported to police that she suspected Hull.
Hull’s cousin Chad Gombos also testified and said that the two grew up together, but he did not authorize Hull to use his identity.
Day Five
Lindsey Garfield, who works in the forensic science lab at the BCA, was Friday’s only witness who took the stand.
Garfield, the lead crime scene investigator for the BCA, went through numerous exhibits (photographs and actual evidence) from the BCA’s processing of Wilczek’s truck, Wilczek’s business/residence, Hull’s apartment, Oldenburg’s car and the burn and burial site where Wilczek’s body was found.
Blood was found at both Hull’s apartment and Wilczek’s business/apartment, but it was not made clear at this point whose blood it was and if it was human or animal blood. Garfield’s testimony was simply confirming that Luminal and phenolphthalien were used to test for blood. Samples were then brought to the BCA lab for testing.
When the truck was processed, two shovels were found in the bed. One, Garfield said, had a black greasy substance on it that smelled like hamburger.
A knife and sheath were also found in the truck in a pocket on the driver’s door.
A video and photographs were shown of the burn and burial site in Foreston, being referred to as the crime scene.
Disturbing photos were shown to the jury of Wilczek’s body parts as they were slowly and carefully removed from the burial site. Garfield said it took the crime scene team from 9 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. to process the scene.
Dr. Susan Myster (a forensic anthropologist) and Dr. Janis Amatuzio were called in to assist at the burial site.
At the burn area, a clump of dirt was seized as it included the female end of an extension cord, stickers similar to the ones removed from Wilczek’s truck, fabric with a plaid pattern and white fiber stuffing.
Later, at Wilczek’s business/residence, the BCA agent discovered one of Wilczek’s pillows was missing, which had a blue plaid pillow case.
When the prosecution asked why the BCA checked for blood at Wilczek’s business, Garfield said she was informed that Wilczek may have been thrown off a balcony at his business/residence. There was also information that Hull had ridden his bicycle from St. Cloud to Wilczek’s business bringing along a duffle bag and comforter.
Blood was found in several locations at Hull’s apartment, in the entry, the bathroom, the bedroom, the kitchen and the living room. Again, it was not noted whose blood it was that the BCA found.
In all, 55 pieces of evidence were taken by BCA from Wilczek’s truck, eight from the burial site (the body parts were sent to the medical examiner), 20 from Hull’s apartment and four from Oldenburg’s vehicle.
Northrup asked Garfield if there was any evidence of where the murder took place. Garfield said there was none.
The state continued to hammer home its arguments Monday, Oct. 27 with more testimony.
BCA agents called by the prosecution to testify told the jury that their investigation led them to Hull and only Hull. And, at no point, has the defense refuted the testimony suggesting Hull obtained equipment necessary to bury Wilczek's body.
The one thing that continues to be absent from the courtroom is the defense testimony, as the prosecution has yet to finish calling its witness list.
There is no timetable for when the defense will begin calling witnesses, but it has been made clear by the defense that they will argue Hull and Wilczek got into a physical “struggle” which resulted in the death of Wilczek. In opening statements, the defense said it would argue that Hull made poor decisions after Wilczek was killed, but did not intend to kill him.
With the exception of his right leg bouncing, Hull has remained calm throughout the trial, which will continue through next week.
Editor’s note: Matt Perkins of the Morrison County Record contributed to the article.
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