MANKATO — A man who was previously acquitted of aiding and abetting a fatal fentanyl overdose in Mankato received a stayed prison sentence Tuesday related to drug sales before the incident.
The case against Kueth Pamier Ruae, 26, of Mankato, stemmed from the fatal overdose of Eva LeTourneau, 21, on Dec. 1, 2022, at a Mankato apartment. Judge Krista Jass found Ruae guilty on the felony sales charge and not guilty of felony aiding and abetting murder after a May bench trial.
The not guilty verdict came after Jass determined there wasn’t evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Ruae’s sale of drugs was a “substantial causal factor” in LeTourneau’s death.
Investigators found out a second person, Khalil Bryant, sold drugs later provided to LeTourneau six hours after Ruae’s initial sale. This second sale was deemed to be the “proximate” cause of the fatal overdose, according to court records. While Ruae had an apparent connection to Bryant, no credible evidence could link Ruae to intentionally aiding Bryant in the sale, Jass wrote in her judgment.
Bryant was a homicide victim in Hennepin County on Feb. 15, 2023, before any charges were filed in relation to LeTourneau’s death.
Ruae, Conner Lee Hoeft, 22, and Haley Marie Ross, 24, were all charged with aiding and abetting murder in April 2023.
Hoeft, LeTourneau’s former boyfriend, was convicted on the aiding and abetting charge in January and received a stayed prison sentence while he serves seven years on supervised probation. Ross, LeTourneau’s roommate at the time, has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Dec. 2.
Ruae’s stayed sentence, in line with recommendations made in a presentence investigation, means he’d face as much as 21 months in prison if he violates terms of probation over the next three years. He would’ve also served 218 days in jail but received credit for already completing the time.
Nicole Letourneau, Eva’s mother, provided a victim impact statement in court Tuesday and asked for the strictest sentence possible against Ruae so he can think about the impact his illegal drug sales had on her family. She expressed sadness at the ruling on his aiding and abetting charge, saying she felt he was a murderer.
“You’ve ruined our family’s lives,” she said.
The mother and daughter had a special bond. Nicole described feeling “unspeakable heartbreak” since her first-born child’s death, compounded by having to see Eva’s younger brother and sister process the devastating loss.
Eva was much loved, Nicole said, with more than 500 people attending her funeral. The 21-year-old aspired to be an esthetician and it’s unfair she never got to pursue her career, become a mother and be there for so many other life experiences, Nicole said.
Prosecuting attorney Todd Coryell requested the maximum sentence against Ruae, including additional jail time, arguing that his role in the events of that evening was “substantial.”
Bradley Peyton, Ruae’s defense attorney, asked the judge to stick with the recommended sentence. He argued more jail time wasn’t necessary as opposed to sending Ruae to treatment and letting him begin probation.
In brief remarks before he learned his sentence, Ruae said he couldn’t find words to express how he was feeling about the tragedy. The situation was a nightmare, he continued, and he never thought it would happen.
The impact of drug sales on the LeTourneau family is heartbreaking, Jass said. The judge opted to go with the sentencing recommendation, calling it a difficult decision that would mean more prison time for Ruae if he doesn’t meet requirements.
“My hope is you take the opportunity to ensure you’re not using or selling drugs” going forward, she said to Ruae.