MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 30-year-old Ceylon, Minn. man will spend the next 49-and-half-years in prison for using a hammer to kill a man who was with his wife, according to Faribault County authorities.
Last month, Brian Daniel Freeman pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree intentional murder without premeditation and three counts of first degree assault in connection to the Feb. 20, 2012 attack in Blue Earth.
According to a criminal complaint, Freeman was wearing a mask when he entered the home and hit Christopher Fulmer, 37, in the head, killing him. Freeman also hit his wife, Candice Freeman, and her two teenage daughters, before calling 911. Authorities said they got the call at about 12:30 a.m. The dispatcher heard screaming.
When authorities arrived, they found Fulmer in bed in an upstairs bedroom, dead, and lying on his back with significant head trauma. Candice Freeman was found on the same bed, injured and pleading for help, the complaint said. The teens, ages 19 and 15 at the time, were also injured. The Freemans have a younger daughter together, who was unhurt.
Freeman left the house after calling 911 and was later arrested. Authorities found two masks in his car and also saw him put a garbage bag in his car, which held clothing that contained human blood.
Freeman’s wife and the teens suffered life-threatening injuries, including multiple skull fractures. Faribault County Chief Public Defender Scott Cutcher said Freeman’s wife also lost an eye. Cutcher said all three are healing fairly well, although the recovery process has been slow.
Freeman’s time in prison was a result of being sentenced to 336 months for the murder charge and 86 months for each of the three assault charges. They will be served consecutively.
