Inset: Gerald Ruskamp (Minnick Funeral Home). Background: News footage shows Carl Ruskamp in court (KTIV).
A Nebraska man convicted of killing his father in a dispute involving money will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Carl Ruskamp, 34, received a sentence of life without parole Wednesday after being found guilty of first-degree murder. The Norfolk Daily News reported that Ruskamp shot and killed his father, 65-year-old Gerald Ruskamp, on Sept. 7, 2022. At the time, Carl told authorities he had discovered his father dead after witnessing a man in black flee the family home.
Investigators later linked Carl to the killing. The firearm used in the homicide was reportedly found after he tried to conceal it inside a closet in his mother’s bedroom.
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Ruskamp’s defense argued that he was not competent to stand trial and cited a schizophrenia diagnosis. However, a psychologist retained by the defense concluded that he was not legally insane when the shooting occurred.
During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Beth Beninato described the case as a “completely senseless and tragic situation,” according to courtroom coverage by NBC affiliate KTIV. “It has completely destroyed this family,” she said.
Ruskamp was also convicted of using a deadly weapon while a felon and possessing a deadly weapon while a felon. The first charge carried a sentence of 20 to 50 years, while the second resulted in an additional 10-to-20-year term.
The post Son angry over car money searched ‘brain stem location’ before blasting dad on couch and stashing rifle in closet — and now he’s headed to prison first appeared on Law & Crime.
