Final pre-trial for accused murderer set; trial begins in two weeks
By Brandi Makuski
The five-day trial for an accused murderer is set to begin on Feb. 26.
Kyle Engen, 32, has been held on a $100,000 cash bond since his April 2016 capture in Colorado. Engen had been on the run after fleeing the shooting scene of a 21-year-old former UWSP student on St. Patrick’s Day two years ago.
Engen is the only suspect in the shooting death of Deonte Lezine, who was shot at the intersection of Minnesota and Fifth avenues, about two blocks from the UWSP campus, during what police have called a “drug deal gone bad” in March of 2016.
Marshals in April 2016.
(Courtesy SPPD)
According to criminal complaint, Engen traveled from the Madison area after prearranging to meet near Lezine’s Stevens Point apartment, expecting to sell two pounds of marijuana to Lezine and two other men for about $7,000. One of the men with Lezine that night told police the trio planned to instead steal the drugs, push Engen from the car and drive away.
Their the plan backfired, according to the complaint, when Engen opened fire on the vehicle, striking two men inside. One man received a superficial gunshot wound, while Lezine was shot in the head. A third man in the vehicle drove Lezine to a building on the UWSP campus, where Lezine collapsed from his wounds and staff there called 911.
Lezine, a native of Racine, Wis., spent several days on life support before succumbing to his wounds on March 25.
Engen was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Granby, Colo., after being on the run for about a month.
Prosecutors in the Portage Co. District Attorney’s Office have spent several months securing multiple out-of-state witnesses for the coming trial, according to court records. Further delays in local proceedings were caused by Engen’s outstanding cases in other counties.
Engen has been charged with three counts of second-degree intentional homicide and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He faces up to 140 years behind bars if convicted.
The trial has been scheduled to begin at 8 AM on Feb. 26, with the Honorable Judge Thomas Flugaur presiding.
