WINDOM, Minn. — A 58-year-old fugitive being sought by law enforcement was found guilty Tuesday of murdering a man outside of a Windom bar back in 2021.
Ralph Leslie Apmann was charged with second-degree unintentional murder after Juan Morales Rivera was found dead outside the Phat Pheasant Pub on Aug. 26, 2021.
The Cottonwood County jury reached its verdict despite Apmann not appearing in court for the trial Monday. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and Windom Police Department continue to search for Apmann, who is believed to be armed with a 9mm handgun and an AR-15 rifle. Law enforcement believes he could be in the Twin Cities area and is asking anyone with information about Apmann's location not to approach him, but immediately call 911.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's Office prosecuted Apmann's murder case at the request of Cottonwood County Attorney Nicholas Anderson.
According to court documents, police were called to the Phat Pheasant around 12:45 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2021, and found a man unresponsive. The victim, later identified as Rivera, was transported to a local emergency room where he later died. Witnesses told police that Rivera was last seen with Apmann.
When questioned in the death, Apmann reportedly told investigators that Rivera was causing problems with patrons in the bar so he took him to the back room to play a couple of games of pool.
After playing, Apmann told police he went out to the back door to have a cigarette and the victim then punched him. The two wrestled and Apmann said he put Rivera in a choke hold until he stopped struggling.
Apmann insisted when he left, Rivera was taking "deep loud breaths." The criminal complaint says Apmann and his daughter then left the bar without telling anyone about the fight.
The fugitive is described as being 5 feet 10 inches tall and 230 pounds, with hazel eyes and gray, receding hair.
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