ND - Several bodies found at Mandan business, 1 April 2019 *Arrest* #2

[Seattle1]

More evidence presented in Isaak trial, including shell casings, notes found in planner – KX NEWS

Aug 13, 2021

Friday, we continued to learn more about that evidence — including a sample taken from Isaak’s truck that tested presumptive positive for blood.

[..]

And on day eight of trial testimony, the state set out to prove it — laying out items found in Isaak’s home.

“How many shell casings were found in that sock?” asked Prosecuting Attorney Karlei Neufeld.
“Nine,” said Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Pat Helfrich.
“When you saw there were nine shell casings, was that number significant to you?” asked Neufeld.
“Yes, it was,” Helfrich replied.
“Why?” said Neufeld.
“Through the investigation, it was learned nine rounds were fired at the RJR scene,” said Helfrich.

[..]

The state then shifted focus to Isaak’s office, discussing notes and appointments found in a planner.

“What does that notation say?” asked Defense Attorney Luke Heck.
“I believe it says Stay RJR Me,” BCI Special Agent Scott Voeltz replied.

 

[Seattle1]

Updated: Aug 13, 2021 / 04:36 PM CDT
This is a continuing story and will be updated as new details develop. Keep checking back for the latest information available. Updates from previous days are at the end of this report. Live streaming of the trial is here. Other articles are also available here.
LIVE TRIAL BLOG - DAY 8

4:19 p.m.: Judge David Reich recesses the trial for the day. The trial will resume Monday, August 16, 2021 at 8:30 a.m.

4:15 p.m.: Re-direct by Gabrielle Joy Goter. Says he conducted two interviews with Ben Pace. Says he interviewed Karen Bjerke, who indicated a number of instances that stood out to her about people who got mad with management. Says she said she heard reports of employees having guns pointed at them, so she didn’t have any direct knowledge of those incidents.

4:05 p.m.: Cross-examination by defense attorney Bruce Quick. Sandusky says he did employee interviews on April 3 and April 4. Sandusky says nothing came of the interviews for evidentiary purposes. Quick says one report indicates employee Ben Pace identifies several possible suspects: Someone just paroled from prison that issued a threat, some angry employees who had been terminated, some people in lawsuits against RJR who were not happy, a person who claimed people who occasionally pointed guns at RJR employees.

3:42 p.m.: Witness called — Craig Sandusky, BCI special agent. Details his training and experience in law enforcement.

Witness Craig Sandusky
Arrived on April 3, 2019, to assist with the RJR investigation. He and other investigators canvassed the area between McDonald’s and RJR. Says they were looking for anything that might stand out or appear out of the ordinary.

Says he also sat in on interviews of RJR employees, seeking any connections to anybody or find information that stands out. Says nothing significant came out of the interviews.

Sandusky was involved in the searches of Chad Isaak’s truck and his chiropractic business. The search of Chad Isaak’s vehicle took place on April 4, 2019.

Says investigators were looking for orange apparel, dark shoes, firearms, knives, anything that could cut, potential DNA evidence. He was assigned to collect swabs of potential evidence from the vehicle, so he put on a Tyvek suit and gloves taped to the suit.

Says he and two other investigators were looking for and found evidence in the vehicle. Another agent was responsible for collecting and bagging the evidence found.

Testifies he took 9 DNA swabs from the vehicle. He also cut out three pieces of upholstery from the back seat because they had stains that could be potential evidence.. Also did tape lifts of potential evidence and removed the driver’s side seatbelt and seatbelt cover so the area beneath the cover could be examined and possibly tested.

All the other agents processing the truck were wearing gloves.

3:41 p.m.: Re-cross-examination by Luke Heck. Says she does not recall observing any liquids on the shoes at the time.

3:36 p.m.: Re-direct by prosecuting attorney Gabrielle Joy Goter. Says a wet or sticky surface can cause shoes to slide, making the shoe print more difficult to see. A sliding shoe print could cause randomly acquired characteristics to not show up in the shoe prints.

Rees says the two size 12 shoes provided to her to analyze match the general characteristics of the left shoe print photo from the crime scene.

Says the “peak” referred to in the shoe print photo could be caused by sliding.

3:22 p.m.: Cross-examination by defense attorney Luke Heck. Rees says shoes can have unique characteristics, called “randomly acquired characteristics.” These are markings acquired over time that distinctively modify the shoe’s characteristics.

Could not identify any ‘randomly acquired characteristics” in the shoe print she analyzed.

Says there were some characteristics in a photo of the shoe print that differ from the physical shoe when the two were compared.

3:13 pm.: Direct examination of ATF specialist/analyst Allison Rees continues by prosecuting attorney Gabrielle Joy Goter. Rees analyzed photos of shoe prints taken at the scene of the RJR killings April 1, 2019, with a pair of size 12 Avia shoes later collected as evidence from the dryer in Chad Isaak’s home. Essentially, she enlarged the shoe print photos to match the actual size of the shoes and then compared the bottoms of the physical shoes with the photos. She made a transparency of the photo shoe prints and laid them over images of the physical shoes to compare what matched and didn’t match.

Rees says, based on her comparisons, the physical left shoe and the photos of left shoe prints from the scene of the RJR killings shared the same class characteristics in the physical size, tread patterns, voids and the shape of the heel of the shoe.

She can’t conclusively say the physical shoe she analyzed is the specific shoe that made the impression at the crime scene, only that there are similar class characteristics between the left shoe and the photos of the shoe prints at the crime scene.

Her ultimate conclusion: There is an association of class characteristics in size and tread patterns between the physical left shoe and the photos of shoe imprints at the crime scene.

3:12 p.m.: The trial of Chad Isaak resumes, Judge Dave Reich presiding.

2:52 p.m.: Judge David Reich calls for a 20-minute afternoon recess. The trial will resume at 3:10 p.m.

1:53 p.m.: Witness called — Allison Rees, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives fingerprint specialist, imprint/impression analyst. Details her experience and training. Goes over testing, process of evidence in ATF labs., quality assurance procedures, how chain of evidence and evidence integrity is handled.

Witness Allison Rees
Rees says the proper chain of custody and security of the evidence was maintained for RJR evidence sent for testing. Says her work is also reviewed by her superiors to ensure all processes and procedures were followed and that the analytic conclusions are soundly based on the evidence provided.

Rees conducted footwear impression analysis on evidence in the RJR killings.

She received two pairs of Avia size 12 shoes and a CD with photos. There are two folders on the CD, one labeled “Isaak Shoes From Dryer” and the other, “Impressions From Scene.”

Prosecuting attorney Gabrielle joy Goter is introducing several items into evidence that Allison Rees worked with during her analysis work on the RJR case.

Rees testifies to how she analyzed the shoeprint photos collected from the crime scene and then provided to her on the CD and in the physical shoes.

Witness Allison Rees
Explains how she compared the physical shoes to the shoe prints on the photo CD. She worked to create transparencies of the physical shoe prints to use to compare the actual shoe and the images of shoe prints to look for where they matched and didn’t match.

1:53 p.m.: The trial has resumed.

1:52 p.m.: Judge David Reich calls for a one-minute stretch break.

1:51 p.m.: Re-cross-examination by Quick. Says he does not know who opened the doors to Chad Isaak’s vehicle during the traffic stop on April 4th. Says he was not present for the traffic stop.

1:46 p.m.: Re-direct by Gabrielle Job Goter. Says during the canvas around the RJR area, they were looking not just for boots, but shoes and any kind of footwear or biological evidence.

1:36 p.m.: Cross-examination by defense attorney Bruce Quick. Says on April 2 or 3, 2019, he canvassed the area around RJR and he took 82 photos. Took images of time impressions, shoe impressions. Found in a dumpster at Midway Lane Brown boots with a reddish stain. Did some casting of a boot imprint. The casting process melted the boot print, making it useless to investigators.

Says he and other agents did the search of the Isaak vehicle in the McLean County Sheriff’s Office garage. Says there were several people involved in the Isaak vehicle search. Says the evidence sheet shows who found evidence in the vehicle, not who actually collected the evidence from the vehicle.

Helmer says he was not wearing booties or a Tyvek suit.

Says flip phones tend to have a lot less user information than a smartphone. Says could see a call log for the phone and noticed a gap in call log from March 20 to April 4; that is, there was no information on calls during that period.

1:19 p.m.: Continuation of direct examination of BCI agent Tim Helmer by prosecuting attorney Gabrielle Joy Goter. Helmer is testifying about photos he took during the April 4, 2019, search of Chad Isaak’s vehicle.

 

[Seattle1]

Chad Isaak trial: The latest | KX NEWS
AUG 13, 2021

DAY 8 - LIVE TRIAL BLOG


1:19 p.m.: Continuation of direct examination of BCI agent Tim Helmer by prosecuting attorney Gabrielle Joy Goter. Helmer is testifying about photos he took during the April 4, 2019, search of Chad Isaak’s vehicle.

Witness Tim Helmer
During the search, investigators found three particular cards and tags that focused specifically on weapons and ammunition. In relation to the RJR killings where a gun was used, these items drew heightened interest. Says, during the search of the vehicle, numerous areas resembling blood marks — areas of reddish-brown — were found in various locations in the vehicle. Swabs were taken of each of those areas, to test for blood and DNA.

Helmer says after the search and photos, the vehicle was resealed to preserve the integrity of evidence in and on the vehicle.

Helmer says after searching the vehicle, he went over to Chad Isaak’s office to execute a search warrant.

Says he interviewed numerous RJR employees April 2 and April 3, 2019, to develop information and leads. Nothing came from those interviews of relevance to the killings.

1:18 p.m.: The Chad Isaak trial has resumed, Judge David Reich presiding.

Defendant Chad Isaak - NO PHOTO
12:00 pm.: Judge David Rech calls a lunch recess. The trial will resume at 1:15 p.m.

11:06 a.m.: Witness called — Tim Helmer, BCI special agent. Direct examination by Gabrielle Joy Goter. Details his training and experience in law enforcement. Stationed in Dickinson.

Witness Tim Helmer
He helped execute search warrants April 4, 2019 on Chad Isaak’s vehicle, business and home. Says Chad Isaak’s vehicle was a white Ford F-150.

Helmer photographed Isaak’s vehicle during the April 4 search. Took photos around the vehicle to show its condition prior to the search, document that seals are on the vehicle showing it has not been entered since being sealed and to document significant characteristics. Describes the significant items, such as rust in the rear wheel wells and mud on the front bumper that are consistent with the characteristics in the April 1, 2019 and March 25, 2019 surveillance videos of the suspect vehicle.

Helmer says in the front passenger seat, covered by a comforter, was a green Menard’s bucket, containing sticky notes, a black tank top, some socks, a navy blue stocking hat and a tri-fold wallet. The wallet included Chad Isaak’s driver’s license, other cards and an RJR business card, with the name “Robert” written on the back.

Green Menard’s bucket found in Chad Isaak’s vehicle during April 4 search

Contents of Chad Isaak’s wallet found in the green Menard’s bucket during the April 4 search of his vehicle. The contents included an RJR business card (bottom right). On the back of the card was written “Robert”
Also found a Carhart jacket on the floorboard of the passenger side with cards inside. A flip phone belonging to Chad Isaak was also found in a pocket. Says it was notable for the lack of any call information from March 20 to April 4. Says it was significant because of the activities found on surveillance video on March 25 and April 1, 2019. Says it appears a person had wiped any call data from the phone for that period.

Flip phone found during the April 4 search of Chad Isaak’s vehicle.
Black and brown boots were found on the passenger side floorboard, along with a dark hat stuffed in a boot. The hat was containing orange fibers. An orange fiber was also found in the interior of the boot.

Also found a dark ski mask in the rear pocket of the passenger seat.

Found reddish-brown stains on the inside door jamb on the driver’s side. Says they tested it for DNA because the person who committed the killings at RJR may have had blood on his person and that could have transferred blood to the vehicle. Also found a white sock in the pocket of the driver’s door with reddish-brown stains.

Found reddish-brown stains on the doorjamb of the passenger side rear door on the driver’s side. Swabs were taken for to identify the blood and DNA. Also found reddish-brown stains on the rear passenger door on the driver’s side.

11:06 a.m.: The trial resumes.

11:05 a.m.: Judge David Reich calls a one-minute stretch break.

11:03 a.m.: Re-cross-examination by Quick. Says he recalls the “Be On The Lookout” or BOLO bulletin, but doesn’t recall it referencing number 95 on the bottom of the shoes to be on the lookout for.

11:01 a.m.: Re-direct by prosecuting attorney Austin Gunderson. Voeltz says he saw the April 1, 2019 video surveillance of the suspect. Says he saw the shoes in that video and those shoes matched the ones he found in the chiropractic clinic. Says the “stay RJR me” note in the appointment book, 3 days before the killings.

10:54 a.m.: Cross-examination by defense attorney Bruce Quick. Voeltz acknowledges there aren’t many or any morning appointments throughout the appointment book and not just on March 25 and April 1, 2019. . Quick asks couldn’t the notation on March 29 be a reminder note to Isaak to pay his rent? Voeltz says yes, it is possible.

Voeltz says the April 4 search warrant says “footwear” was what they were looking for. Quick says it didn’t specify “shoes” or “boots.” Voeltz

10:34 a.m.: Witness called — Scott Voeltz, BCI special agent. Direct examination by Austin Gunderson. Voeltz details his experience and training in law enforcement.

Witness Scott Voeltz
Voeltz says he was involved in the search of Chad Isaak’s chiropractic office on April 4, 2019.

 

[Seattle1]

Chad Isaak trial: The latest | KX NEWS
AUG 13, 2021

DAY 8 - LIVE TRIAL BLOG


Found 3 boxes of live ammunition in a microwave oven in Isaak’s office. The live ammunition was 357 ammunition. Voeltz says it was an odd place to store ammunition.

Ammunition boxes stored in a microwave found during the search of Chad Isaak’s office

Found about 16 pairs of shoes of the same kind. Noticed the suspect in the RJR video was wearing shoes similar to the shoes found in Chad Isaak’s office.

Storage container in Chad Isaak’s office containing 16 pairs of shoes, all the same kind, and similar, according to investigators, to the shoes seen in surveillance videos on April 1 and March 25, 2019,

Says the appointment book found in the office was notable for the lack of appointments for the mornings of April 1, 2019 and March 25, 2019.

Says he found a March 29, 2019, entry in the appointment book with are the words, “stay RJR me,” written around the 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. appointment times printed in the book.

Desk in Chad Isaak’s office with an appointment book and computer. Photo is from the April 4 search of the office.

10:33 a.m.: Re-cross-examination by Quick. Helfrich says other handguns and a rifle were found in Isaak’s home as well.

10:31 a.m.: Re-direct by Neufeld. Helfrich says he did not find a firearm in Isaak’s residence that could have fired the 38 special bullets. Says he did learn that parts of a gun were found in the freezer that were thought to have been used in the RJR killings.

10:28 a.m.: Cross-examination by Bruce Quick. Asks if Helfrich would be surprised to learn the autopsy reports suggest different numbers than nine shots. Helfrich says he would not be surprised. Says he helped dump the data from the Robert Fakler phone which indicated the affair with Lisa Olson. Helped download data from another phone in Robert Fakler’s vehicle. A small computer that downloads driving info, where the vehicle has started in its travels and other information was also checked.

10:13 a.m.: Witness called — Pat Helfrich, Bureau of Criminal Investigation special agent. Details experience and training in law enforcement. He is a member of the BCI cybercrime unit.

Witness Pat Helfrich

Helfrich assisted in the search of Chad Isaak’s home on April 4, 2019. Says they were looking for a revolver and clothing. He says he searched the out buildings and, inside the home, an office/storage area. Says he found evidence in the closet of the room. He saw a sock and something with a distinct shape in the sock. When he pulled the object from the sock, it was a ziplock bag containing empty shell casings and a box containing live cartridges with 13 empty spaces for bullets.

Box of live cartridges contained in a sock found during the April 4

 

[Seattle1]

Chad Isaak trial: The latest | KX NEWS

AUG 13, 2021

DAY 8 - LIVE TRIAL BLOG

Box of live cartridges (bottom) and a bag of empty shell casings (top) found in the April 4 search of Chad Isaak’s home. Both items were found in a sock in a bedroom closet.
What stood out for him was the ammunition, 38 special rounds, which matched what they were looking for in the search warrant. The fact that the empty cartridges and ammo box were hidden in a sock in a closet also stood out to him.

Helfrich says nine shell casings were in the sock. says the number was significant because, through the investigation, nine rounds were fired at the RJR scene.

10:12 a.m.: The Chad Isaak trial resumes, Judge David Reich presiding.

9:50 a.m.: Judge David Reich calls a 20-minute morning recess. The trial will resume at 10:10 a.m.

9:48 a.m.: Re-cross-examination. Rummel says he doesn’t know where everything was sent for testing. Heck asks, “You’re formulating opinions but you haven’t seen all the evidence.” Rummel replies he’s seen enough of the relevant evidence to draw his conclusions. Says he’s not sure if there is a report on the measurement of the Big O Tires fence. Says he did the fence measurement with Mandan Police. Acknowledges his observation about the odor of bleach being everywhere at Isaak’s home didn’t make it into his own report.

9:40 a.m.: Re-direct by prosecuting attorney Karlei Neufeld. Says he does not recall every detail of the investigation. Says one reason for having several agents investigating. Says many of the weapons confiscated during the Isaak home search were excluded as relevant evidence to the crime. Of all the weapons found at the Isaak home, says investigators are confident that they found the specific murder weapons at the home: The orange knife and the parts of guns found in the freezer.

Testifies he reviews reports but he does not edit or alter them on his own. Says it’s up to the specific case agent to determine what is in his or her report. Says some of the agents referenced bleach and some did not. Says just because some agents did not reference the odor of bleach, that doesn’t mean there was not the odor of bleach in the Isaak home. Says he personally noticed the odor of bleach in the Isaak home.

Rummel testifies, based on the evidence he’s seen and helped collect, he believes Chad Isaak killed the four people at RJR.

9:20 a.m.: The trial resumes, continuing with testimony by Arnie Rummel under cross-examination by defense attorney Luke Heck. Heck is asking Rummel to review reports submitted by investigators concerning the April 4 search of Chad Isaak’s home in Washburn. The focus is on how many agents mentioned in their reports the smell of bleach in the Isaak home. Rummel has testified earlier that he detected the smell of bleach everywhere in Chad Isaak’s home during the search. Another agent report on the search did not mention the smell of bleach in the Chad Isaak home.

Rummel acknowledges he did not put in any of his reports that he measured the back fence height behind Big O Tires. Also didn’t note what he called Chad Isaak’s smirk in his report. Says investigators did not test the gun for bleach. Didn’t test the gloves for bleach.

Rummel says he and others met with lab techs in September 2019. Discussed the lab analyses of evidence submitted for evaluation.

Investigators determined before the searches that a 38 caliber, 357 caliber, 9-millimeter gun may have been involved in the killings. Heck identifies weapons found in William Cobb’s vehicle, Lois Cobb’s purse, a gun in an RJR office cabinet, and four handguns being found near the crime scene.

Rummel says a number of firearms — guns and rifles — were seized during the Chad Isaak search of his home in addition to the gun found in the freezer. Says they also seized other knives from Isaak’s home in addition to the orange knife found in the washer. Says no photo was taken of the freezer before he opened the freezer and found the gun parts.

Says he doesn’t know if all the items that were seized were sent to labs for testing and analysis. He is aware of some of the items that were sent for testing that had specific connections to the crime and investigation.

Says some items were sent out of state for testing, although he is not sure which items were sent.

Says he’s not sure if any ligature marks were found on the bodies.

9:20 a.m.: The trial resumes.

9:19 a.m.: Judge David Reich calls for a one-minute stretch break.

8:55 a.m.: Cross-examination by defense attorney Luke Heck. Hummel testified he reviews reports for approval and other information related to the investigation. Says his job in the RJR investigation is oversight. Heck is focusing on report writing and report writing procedures. Asks is the rule of thumb in training for police writing is, “If it isn’t in the report, it didn’t happen.” Rummel disagrees on that. Says there are times later evidence may be found and the relevant information is added to the report.

Rummel says there were well over 100 reports by BCI investigators he reviewed and approved. He also wrote one report related to the RJR case, outlining his investigation on April 1-3 plus the search warrant.

In his report, Rummel said he smelled bleach on the gun and in the freezer. Acknowledges he did not say in the report there was the smell of bleach everywhere in the home.

Rummel acknowledges the numerous agents who were present during the search of Chad Isaak’s home wrote reports on the search. Defense attorney Heck presents Rummel with reports written by agents who searched the Chad Isaak home. Asks Rummel to review the reports. In BCI agent Joe Arenz’ report, Arenz reports the smell of bleach in the back bathroom of the Isaak home. In BCI agent Pat Lenertz’ report, it mentions the smell of bleach in the bathroom in the Isaak home. In BCI agent Matt Hiatt’s report, Hiatt does not mention the smell of bleach in the Isaak home. Another BCI agent report on the search does not mention the smell of bleach in the Chad Isaak home. A report by BCI agent Pat Helfrich doesn’t mention the smell of bleach in the Chad Isaak home. A report by BCI agent Smith did not mention the smell of bleach in the Isaak home.

8:33 a.m.: Direct examination by prosecuting attorney Karlei Neufeld of Bureau of Criminal Investigation supervisory special agent Arnie Rummel.

Witness Arnie Rummel

Rummel testifies a knife was found in the washing machine in Chad Isaak’s home during an April 4 search. Rummel calls it a murder weapon, due to the orange handle of the knife, that it was under wet clothing and the tip was bent, indicating it hit something hard. Considered the possibility of it hitting bone while stabbing people. Also thinks while the suspect was stabbing someone, it went all the way through the body and hit concrete. Did not find blood on the knife. It didn’t surprise him because it had been washed and bleached.

Also found wire saws in Isaak’s home. Says they found a hand saw, or wire saw, on the floor near the body of Robert Fakler. Says it’s not unusual for people to leave a wire saw laying around. Says they felt there was a link between the wire saw at RJR and at Chad Isaak’s home.

Rummel says ammunition was found at Chad Isaak’s home.

Says he was on scene at Isaak’s home during the search when the orange hood sweatshirt was found in the washing machine and when the reversible mask, camouflage on one side, hunter orange on the other was also found in the dryer.

Rummel says the mask color and cutout in the mask indicated to him it was the same as the one in the April 1, 2019 surveillance videos. Also made a connection between the orange sweatshirt found in the dryer and the one worn by the suspect in the videos.

Rummel says a pair of gloves on the legs of a chair upside down inside the living room. Says he believes they were propped up to dry. Says he could smell bleach on the gloves. Says the gloves seen in the April 1, 2019 RJR surveillance videos match the gloves in Chad Isaak’s home in design and color — an orange piece of leather inside the gloves and part of an opening on the gloves from the bottom of the gloves up toward the palm. The opening attaches via velcro strips. Says he saw that orange opening in the gloves in RJR video and in the gloves at Chad Isaak’s home.

Gloves found during April 4 search of Chad Isaak’s home

Says blood pinprick impressions leading to the bathroom and door handle at the RJR scene from the gloves. Says it was the pattern he saw that drew his attention — more visible on the suspect pickup.

Says the evidence investigators found was bleached. Says that tells him Chad Isaak was trying to destroy evidence.

Testifies in many criminal investigations, they never find what the motives are. Some people just kill for fun, he says — that is hard to prove.

Says investigators did not find a motive for the killings of William Cobb, Lois Cobb, Adam Fuehrer and Robert Fakler. Also says he is confident one person did the killings — Chad Isaak.

8:32 a.m.: The trial of Chad Isaak has resumed, Judge David Reich presiding.

 

[KidonGadol]

Chad Isaak trial: The latest | KX NEWS
AUG 13, 2021

DAY 8 - LIVE TRIAL BLOG


Found 3 boxes of live ammunition in a microwave oven in Isaak’s office. The live ammunition was 357 ammunition. Voeltz says it was an odd place to store ammunition.
.......
he pulled the object from the sock, it was a ziplock bag containing empty shell casings and a box containing live cartridges with 13 empty spaces for bullets.

Box of live cartridges contained in a sock found during the April 4

If you drop that image into MS Photo editor, then do an auto adjust then scale to 200% you can read Hornady 38 SPL (ie 38 special ) on the bases of the brass ctgs. I am suprised this is not explicit in the transcript.

 

[dgolden]

I would like to know what date the meeting between RJR and CTI took place to discuss the snow removal, and who was at the meeting (I believe JF referred to meeting in her testimony). Was it recent, or did it happen years ago and CTI’s rage sat and festered all this time, possibly worsening with each year he had to watch whoever was then charged with providing snow removal, and likely not doing it in what he considered a timely fashion, or doing it the way he would have done it.

I think I’m onboard with your opinion. What a shame it would be for these four people to have lost their lives over snow removal, because CTI was n longer the hero/rescuer/caretaker that he had possibly deemed himself in his mind by doing this service for his neighbors.
MOO

Editing to add I found my answer in this thread. Should have known you guys left no stone unturned lol. Now I’m wondering if what is below is true and they offered to let him keep doing it, what came of that. And was he still doing the removal.

“Says Isaak lived in one of the homes. Testifies Robert Fakler met Isaak in the fall 2018, but Bill Cobb and Lois Cobb did not. Robert visited with Isaak to see if he moved snow into a cul de sac and wanted to know if he still wanted to do the snow removal.”

Nothing. Model tenant, paid timely, etc. He paid his rent online so had little interaction. See the defense opening.

Before RJR took over management for the mobile home park, Isaak provided snow removal for free for his neighbors. He offered to do the same after RJR but it was not clear if they accepted his offer.

IMO, Isaak is an "insult collector" mostly perceived in his own mind. He was danger waiting to happen.

 

[dgolden]

I think they found a few possible spots in his truck, didn’t they? That’s why I am most interested to see what turns up.

If you are referring to the RJR truck that's a foregone conclusion. We know that blood from the victims will be found there. We also know the killer wore heavy gloves. We know that Chad I had zero cuts to his hands when examined.

If you are referring to the F150 up in Washburn...that's another matter. I believe Chad boy took a factory's entire production of bleach and swabbed his truck with it (and put it through the washing machine )

KG

 

[KidonGadol]

I think they found a few possible spots in his truck, didn’t they? That’s why I am most interested to see what turns up.

They found "blood like" brown stains in the truck based on what I have hear in testimony so far. I think CTI is dorking with them as in he set up any possible investigation by putting non human blood taken from butcher's meat for his dog (Ox heart say) or from some squirrel he shot with a twenty two and kept blood in a jar. Look at the business of the stripped down Ruger LCR or LCRx. He or someone threw away ALL OF

Barrel and associated frame.
Grips.
Firing pin and hammer by the look of it (I see what looks like a hammer recess with nothing in it).
Yet he keeps the bits that in theory can't incriminate him AND he keeps the fired shells with primer indentations which will tie back to a hammer tip in older guns like a UK Webley 455 or to the firing pin in a Ruger LCR. - there's a guess there: We have been shown a photo of those shell cases bagged but never explicitly what those cases are. - not that I heard.

(That situation is EXTREMELY poor prosecution preparation).

NOW, having seen him or his associate (the black Lab??) do that... I think he might play jiggery pokery with car/truck stains as well.

Don't forget in his opening address, advocate Bruce Quick said there was NO DNA evidence found during the searches that linked CT Isaak to the crime. Spoiler alert as it were (unless there have been crime lab revelations in the meantime).

The weekend has intervened....

KG

 

[Hazelnutty]

Much appreciation on court reporting, updates & commentary.

CI is a frightening individual.

Why would he have a wire saw? I've only heard of them being used on smaller tree limbs.

Imaginie the fear & creepiness of him being your chiropractor.

And the poor Mrs Fackler having to grieve the murder of her husband and then gets the news of his affair.

I'm guilty of buying more than one item of something that is made well, fits well, can't live without it. But, 16 pairs of the same shoe? Maybe he walks a lot & these are great shoes.

 

[Seattle1]

I'm guilty of buying more than one item of something that is made well, fits well, can't live without it. But, 16 pairs of the same shoe? Maybe he walks a lot & these are great shoes.

^^rsbm

It might be that strange gait he has -- but I'm inclined to believe he dispenses custom orthopedic shoes. JMO

 

[Hazelnutty]

That makes sense!

 

[KidonGadol]

Much appreciation on court reporting, updates & commentary.

CI is a frightening individual.

Why would he have a wire saw? I've only heard of them being used on smaller tree limbs.

Imaginie the fear & creepiness of him being your chiropractor.

And the poor Mrs Fackler having to grieve the murder of her husband and then gets the news of his affair.

I'm guilty of buying more than one item of something that is made well, fits well, can't live without it. But, 16 pairs of the same shoe? Maybe he walks a lot & these are great shoes.

Wire saw - the industrial unit at RJR probably had a welded up toilet window.. the type that allow the louvres to open but has vertical bars that slow down the entry of thieves. If you cut these and smash one louvre in quietly (honey on packing paper trick) you can remove the rest and you are then into the building. Just a wild guess. (if you prep up the bars ahead of time all you might need is a bit of steel tube to go over the bars to bend them if the bars are aluminium square types). What is interesting is that the police found a wire saw at RJR after the shootings. Nobody could account for it.

 

[Seattle1]

Much appreciation on court reporting, updates & commentary.

CI is a frightening individual.

Why would he have a wire saw? I've only heard of them being used on smaller tree limbs.

Imaginie the fear & creepiness of him being your chiropractor.

And the poor Mrs Fackler having to grieve the murder of her husband and then gets the news of his affair.

I'm guilty of buying more than one item of something that is made well, fits well, can't live without it. But, 16 pairs of the same shoe? Maybe he walks a lot & these are great shoes.

In the surveillance video, it appears that Isaak is carrying a wire saw when he enters the building. It's odd that he would bring the wire saw because he did not need it for access. However, investigators also found wire saws at his home so he must keep them for reasons only Isaak can explain.

Hiatt said it appeared the knife had been through a wash cycle, but it wasn’t a small knife that would typically be carried in a pocket. He said the bleach could have been used to mask evidence. He said the wire saws caught his eye because a wire saw had been found at the crime scene.

Weapons, walking gait, smirk, fibers become topics at RJR quadruple homicide trial

 

[KidonGadol]

Re wire saws

I'd say CTI was carrying wire saw to ensure if someone with a weapon arrived at the front he in theory could exit via a Roller door. Typically in Australia these RSDs are padlocked on the inside x 2 so that if thieves get into a building they can't operate the door (generally electric drive ) and back a vehicle in.

I'd guess CTI went to similar type of business under some pretense and saw how this worked. So he wants to be in a posn to cut one or two padlocks off lto get out the back as were.

The thing about a wire saw is the are very inefficient but it is very hard to break the blade. If you have only one or two blades, this a critical feature.

It would be interesting to see if the police went to some of Chad's sheds they 'd find a tin rubbish bin with an industrial type padlock sawn up in it - Chad is the type of guy to time himself on this so he knows what clock he is up against.

KG

 

[KidonGadol]

Can anyone with detailed knowledge of the exhibits so far tell me WHERE ex 548 and 549 were supposed to be taken. because they have a common parking area and appear to be from the same camera posn, I thought they might be from a McDonald's security camera. Now I am not so sure. What I want to establish is where PRECISELY Chad was parked at McD's on the 1st April if anyone has any photos.. are there any storm grates or FLOWER beds nearby. I have a strong vibe he field stripped the LCR revolver while he was messing on Passenger side of car . He MIGHT have disposed of the firing pin there and then. It would make a lot of sense to do so. He then tossed the LCR's barrel and topworks into one of the many streams and lakes he went over or by on the way home via the town of CENTER most likely. It may still be possible to search for the firing pin.

The barrel assly is a dead duck. Would he toss the latter covered in blood ? If it was a decent deep lake I'd say yes. Within a weeks the aquatic flora and fauna would have pretty much destroyed the blood. The barrel and recovered projectiles combination can "send him to the Chair " as it were . THe quicker they are out of his custody the better. Ditto the firing pin.

KG

 

[Auntie Cipation]

I remember having a wire saw -- not sure if I still do. I don't think I ever specifically bought it -- I suspect it was part of an "emergency kit" for the car or for camping. Although they seem awkward to use, they are so compact and lightweight, and could have so many potential uses, that it never struck me as odd for it to be a part of a kit like that.

Very clever to think of it for opening a padlock, @KidonGadol . I recently misplaced a set of keys for a few days and had to think about what I would do if I didn't find them. I have a storage unit with some items from family members and the only key to the padlock is on the set I lost. Fortunately I found the keys but if not I would have had to break the padlock to install a new one, and had no idea how to approach that beyond needing bolt cutters.

I'm very curious to know why CTI had multiples of them. I do get an almost-hoarder vibe from the photos of his home though, and I know from experience with a close family member that hoarders can justify keeping all sorts of things.

MOO

 

[KidonGadol]

What is VERY VERY relevant is Ruger arms company refuse to sell the barrel frame assly as a separate piece to owners or even gunsmiths for repair. That's because those are the only parts that have serial numbers on them. I have attached a relevant page of the Ruger LCR and LCRx user's manual.

Ruger in NH does not want people rebirthing murder weapons. You just need to look up the manual and you will see that Component 23 is NOT sold as a spare part as it is serialised . Therefore what is shown in the police photo is worthless if he for instance got it at some trash and treasure sale.

 

[Niner]

Monday, August 16th:
*Trial continues (Day 9) (@ 8:30am CT) – ND – Lois Ann Cobbs (45), employee; William Dee “Bill” Cobbs, Jr. (50), employee; Adam Fuehrer (42), employee; Robert John Fakler (52) co-owner (April 1, 2019, at RJR Maint. & Mgmt business, Mandan) - *Chad Trolon Isaak (44/now 47) arrested (4/4/19), charged (4/5/19) & arraigned (5/9/19) with 4 counts of murder (Felony AA), 1 count of burglary (Felony B), 1 count of concealment within a vehicle (Felony C) & 1 count of unauthorized use of vehicle (misdemeanor A). Plead not guilty. $1M Cash only bond.
Trial began on 8/2/21 with jury selection & ended 8/3/21 & trial began on 8/4/21. (8/2/21 to 8/6 & 8/9 to 8/13 & 8/16 to 8/20/21). 12 jurors & 2 alternates. 6 men & 6 women make up the jury with 1 man & 1 woman serving as alternates. Judge David Reich does not intend to sequester jurors.
Court info from 4/5/19 thru 7/16/21 & Jury selection (Day 1-2) 8/2/21-8/3/21 & Trial (Day 1-7) 8/4/21-8/12/21 reference post #641 here:
ND - Several bodies found at Mandan business, 1 April 2019 *Arrest* #2
8/13/21 Friday, Trial Day 8: State witnesses: Bureau of Criminal Investigation supervisory special agent Arnie Rummel. Testified he reviews reports for approval & other information related to the investigation. Says his job in the RJR investigation is oversight. Heck is focusing on report writing & report writing procedures. Direct examination by prosecuting attorney Karlei Neufeld. Cross-examination by defense attorney Luke Heck. Re-direct by prosecuting attorney Karlei Neufeld. Rummel testifies, based on the evidence he’s seen & helped collect, he believes Isaak killed the four people at RJR. Re-Cross exam by attorney Luke Heck. Pat Helfrich, Bureau of Criminal Investigation special agent. He is a member of the BCI cybercrime unit. Helfrich assisted in the search of Isaak’s home on April 4, 2019. Cross-examination by Bruce Quick. Re-direct by Neufeld & re-cross-exam by Quick. Scott Voeltz, BCI special agent. Direct examination by Austin Gunderson. Voeltz says he was involved in the search of Isaak’s chiropractic office on April 4, 2019. Found 3 boxes of live ammunition in a microwave oven in Isaak’s office. The live ammunition was 357 ammunition. Voeltz says it was an odd place to store ammunition. Cross-examination by defense attorney Bruce Quick. Re-direct by prosecuting attorney Austin Gunderson. Re-Cross exam by Quick. Tim Helmer, BCI special agent. Direct examination by Gabrielle Joy Goter. Stationed in Dickinson. He helped execute search warrants April 4, 2019 on Isaak’s vehicle, business & home. Says Isaak’s vehicle was a white Ford F-150. Cross-examination by defense attorney Bruce Quick. Allison Rees, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives fingerprint specialist, imprint/impression analyst. Goes over testing, process of evidence in ATF labs, quality assurance procedures, how chain of evidence & evidence integrity is handled. Rees conducted footwear impression analysis on evidence in the RJR killings. She received two pairs of Avia size 12 shoes & a CD with photos. There are two folders on the CD, one labeled “Isaak Shoes from Dryer” & the other, “Impressions From Scene.” Prosecuting attorney Gabrielle Joy Goter is introducing several items into evidence that Rees worked with during her analysis work on the RJR case. Her ultimate conclusion: There is an association of class characteristics in size & tread patterns between the physical left shoe & the photos of shoe imprints at the crime scene. Cross-examination by defense attorney Luke Heck. Re-direct by prosecuting attorney Gabrielle Joy Goter. Re-cross exam by Heck. Craig Sandusky, BCI special agent. Arrived on April 3, 2019, to assist with the RJR investigation. He & other investigators canvassed the area between McDonald’s and RJR. Cross-examination by defense attorney Bruce Quick. Re-direct by Gabrielle Joy Goter. The trial continues on Monday, 8/16/21.

 

[KidonGadol]

Just when you thought it could get no worse for Chad

1. Ammunition box seized at the Isaak residence under search warrant on 4th April of 2019. Notice the marking on the base is Hornady 38 SPL. There is no way to be sure that this is also Item number 90324 as per below.. but it seems very likely. Other photos from the arrest warrant search are likely to show more details of the box label - I would hope.

2. Ammunition from Hornady (US Manufacturer) found on WWW by image search for same packet details . Notice full metal copper jacket for the projectile in this box and hollow tip with crimp marks near the tip. Bullet weight is 125 grains. Tip is hollow. Part number for the complete cartridge with bullet and powder is 90324 .

3. End view of one of the projectiles recovered from the crime scene. The tip has collapsed into the hollow point. The copper clad tip is very close to detail in 2 above.

There may be more details from the search that one above in terms of other photos of this box and the projectiles in the cartridges. This is what I have to go with.

What this shows is that it is highly likely that Hornady 38 SPL ammunition or something geometrically very similar was used in the murders. It shows CTI owned such ammunition identically and some ammunition was not in place in the holding box. That's all it shows.

regards,
KG