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Man killed unarmed stalker in self-defenseBy JIM SUHRThe Associated PressST. LOUIS — A man charged with murder in the shooting death of a chronic stalker acted in self-defense, contrary to claims by investigators questioning the use of lethal force against the unarmed victim, the man’s attorney said.Richard “Rick” Pearia, 51, on Thursday was ordered to appear Nov. 13 for a preliminary hearing on charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Oct. 7 death of Donald Brinkmeyer, who allegedly had been stalking Pearia’s wife, Ker-stin.Kerstin Pearia, 45, has been charged with hindering prosecution. She was released Thursday on amended bond, with orders to maintain full-time work and have no contact with her husband.The shooting came eight days after Kerstin Pearia got a court-issued protection order against Brinkmeyer, whom she accused of pestering the family, stalking her husband’s cousin - Brinkmeyer’s ex-girlfriend - and claiming that Rick Pearia and that woman were having an affair.Authorities say Brinkmeyer was shot - possibly several times after he already had fallen wounded - after following Kerstin Pearia home in St. Charles County, about 40 miles west of St. Louis. At her husband’s behest, investigators suspect, Kerstin Pearia got an ice pick that was placed next to Brinkmeyer’s body.Authorities have argued that the couple, who already had summoned sheriff’s deputies before the shooting, overstepped against a 6-foot, 180-pound man that investigators believe was perhaps anuisance, not necessarily a legitimate threat.“The evidence is inconsistent with the theory of self-defense,” St. Charles County prosecutor Jack Banas has said.Rick Pearia’s attorney, Joel Schwartz, said his client justly acted against Brinkmeyer, whom he said made “several threats, explicit and implicit” against the Pearias.“He followed Rick’s wife to the home, and he had attempted to restrain and possibly harm Rick’s son,” Schwartz said on behalf of his client, jailed since last week on $1 million bond. “Rick did everything he could under the law, including filing a restraining order, to keep Mr. Brinkmeyer away.”Kerstin Pearia’s attorney, Doug Richards, said Brinkmeyer “definitely was coming after the family”
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Independence Examiner
Independence, Missouri, US
Fri, Oct 17, 2003
Page 9
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Alicia P.
AL, USA 18 Mar 2024
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