RICE COUNTY, Minn. (WCCO) – Family and friends are mourning the loss of a Faribault woman who was attacked and killed early Saturday by a Rice County Sheriff’s sergeant on duty.
Bouquets of yellow flowers were placed by the roadside in Morristown in memory of Stephanie Olson Wesley, a woman whose smile would brighten a room by friends and family.
READ MORE: Cultural Center Hmong St.
“It’s just surreal. She passed away suddenly,” said Arthur Roberts III, a relative of Wesley. “God only knows what happened.”
The sheriff’s office said Sgt. Trevor Peterson, 46, was walking east on Morristown Avenue near Holland Avenue when he attacked and killed the 52-year-old man around 2am. At the time, they said he did not answer the emergency call. The Minnesota State Patrol believes Wesley was on the road when she was hit.
Roberts III said: “A lot of people will miss her very much. “She is loved and appreciated by the community.”
(credit: CBS)
READ MORE: Legislative leaders hope to remove ‘Hero Pay’ when session begins
Tesse Lynn Lester, Wesley’s friend of 18 years, said her children and niece are everything to her, and her laughter is contagious.
As the small town of Faribault mourns the loss of Wesley, her loved ones hope she is remembered for her strong spirit.
Roberts III said: “For her willingness to help people, her determination and kindness.
The Minnesota State Patrol is currently leading the investigation.
MORE NEWS: Urban Skillet: Bold Vision Brings Halal Burger Location to Minneapolis
At the end of December in St. Michael, a Wright County Sheriff’s Deputy beat to death Mr. Harold Welter, 84 years old in his driveway while answering a medical call.
