WALKER - A Cass County jury returned verdicts of guilty Thursday in the case of State of Minnesota versus Sheldon James Armstrong III, Cass County Attorney Christopher Strandlie reported.
Armstrong, 22, of Cass Lake, and a co-defendant, ,Travis Paquette, were charged with multiple offenses arising out of an incident that occurred near Cass Lake in the early morning hours of Aug. 1, 2014.
After deliberating for approximately two hours, the jury returned verdicts of guilty on the offenses of first-degree attempted murder with premeditation, kidnapping causing great bodily harm, second-degree assault and theft of a vehicle.
Sentencing is scheduled at 1 p.m. March 2.
According to the criminal complaint, Cass County deputies were dispatched to a residence near Cass Lake about 2:45 a.m. on Aug. 1. Upon arrival officers spoke to an adult male who appeared to be covered in blood. The adult male indicated two individuals had stabbed him multiple times and attempted to kill him.
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The adult male told officers he knew Armstrong from Facebook and had met him personally a few times. He said Armstrong had contacted him and asked him for a ride from the Che-We gas station in Cass Lake.
The adult male stated he picked up Armstrong and Paquette and they drove to a rural location where Armstrong indicated he was going to purchase marijuana. All three parties exited the truck and walked down a trail. The adult male indicated while walking Armstrong tackled him and Paquette stabbed him. They continued to assault him and stabbed him multiple times. Armstrong and Paquette subsequently bound his wrists and loaded him back into his truck and drove away. At one point they unloaded him in the middle of the road, backed the truck up and then accelerated at a high rate of speed in an attempt to run the adult male over.
He advised officers he was able to roll out of the way and escape by running into the woods ultimately arriving at the residence where officers encountered him. The adult male was transported to a hospital to receive medical attention.
The vehicle was subsequently located after it had been driven off of the roadway near Cass Lake. Paquette was arrested approximately two blocks away while walking away from the vehicle. Armstrong was located and arrested at a nearby residence.
Investigation of the case was conducted by the Cass County Sheriff's Office with assistance from the Leech Lake Police Department and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Crime Lab. A trial date is not yet scheduled for Paquette.
