Southern Minnesota Man Convicted of Murdering Elderly Farmer

Winthrop, MN (KROC-AM News) - A jury has returned a guilty verdict in the case of an elderly southern Minnesota farmer who was murdered two years ago.

According to court documents, 79-year-old Dennis Weitzenkamp was sitting in a chair shucking corn in the machine shed on his farm in Sibley County when he was shot in the head on September 20, 2022. An investigation into the slaying led to the arrest of 48-year-old Travis Bauer, who was described in court documents as a person who had worked for the victim for many years and was considered a member of the family.

The rural Winthrop man was eventually indicted on first and second-degree murder charges. The criminal complaint indicated Bauer was deeply in debt and was on the verge of losing his home. The court document stated that investigators found trust documents that showed Bauer "would receive significant financial benefit from Weitzenkamp's death."

The case went to trial last week at the Sibley County Courthouse in Gaylord and the jury wrapped up its deliberations on Friday afternoon and found Bauer guilty of second-degree intentional murder, but acquitted him of the first-degree murder charge.

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A sentencing hearing in the case has yet to be scheduled.

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