UND Student Arrested In Grand Forks Beating Death
10 December 2007
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A University of North Dakota nursing student is charged with killing a man who family members say was beaten to death after he left a bar to take a cell phone call.
Police said Travis Stay, 23, was arrested Monday at his Grand Forks home and charged with Class AA murder. The UND directory lists Stay as a senior in the school’s nursing program.
Stay appeared in court before Magistrate Judge David Vigeland, who set bail at $100,000 cash or surety. A preliminary hearing was set for Jan. 14.
Stay, who is originally from Princeton, Minn., is charged in the death of Joel Lovelien, 38, of Grand Forks, who died of head injuries after the Oct. 27 attack. Family members said Lovelien was out with friends at the Broken Drum bar and was beaten to death after he stepped out of the bar to take a cell phone call.
Lovelien was found in the bar’s parking lot with severe head injuries after 11 p.m. He was pronounced dead by Altru hospital emergency room personnel.
Police had said they were seeking four men — two dressed as The Penguin and The Joker from Batman movies, one dressed as a Minnesota Gopher’s fan, and another dressed in a yellow-hooded sweat shirt. Police Lt. Rahn Farder said he could not comment on whether Stay was one of the four.
Lovelien’s family had offered a $5,000 reward for information.
“There were over 200 leads that were followed up on, and approximately 100 interviews,” Police Sgt. Bill Macki said.
