2 Charged In Carver Co. Murder Of 90-Year-Old Man Expected In Court

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two men are expected to plead guilty Thursday in the murder of a 90-year-old Carver County farmer.

Reinol Vergara and Edson Benitez are both accused of killing Earl Olander in his San Franscisco Township home last April.

According to the Carver County Attorney, both Benitez and Vergara have reached plea agreements in the murder of Olander. After they plead guilty Thursday, both will be sentenced.

Investigators said the two men went to Olander's rural home in April of last year to rob him. They entered through a back door and found Olander sleeping on his couch.

According to authorities, they then put a blanket over his head and struck him in the back of the head with a shotgun. After that, they bound Olander's hands with duct tape and beat him before ransacking his home.

Deputies found Olander dead on his living room floor.

Vergara and Benitez were arrested about a month later after someone cleaning out Benitez's old apartment found a Bible he left behind. Inside the Bible were two savings bonds in Olander's name.

According to the criminal complaint, Vergara had done some work at Olander's home so he knew he lived alone and thought he had money.

Vergara and Benitez are charged with first and second degree murder.

Court starts at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Both cases will be handled back to back.