NEW ULM — A three-hour online motion hearing for a 50-year-old Clarks Grove man convicted of second-degree murder in the Aug. 21, 1987, stabbing death of William “Billy” Schaefer in downtown New Ulm concluded Wednesday with attorneys given deadlines to file closing arguments.

John Nathan Miller, now known as John Nathan Tenneson, filed a petition for restoration of firearm rights and request for expungement March 17.

Tenneson’s attorney, Donald W. Savelkoul of Albert Lea was given a May 28 deadline to file a written closing argument. Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson was given until June 6 to file his closing argument.

Tenneson, then 17, was convicted in the murder of Schaefer, 33, owner and operator of Jake’s Pizza on Minnesota Street in one of the more lurid trials in New Ulm history.

Schaefer was found was found dead in his apartment above the restaurant shortly before 11 a.m. as his mother, father, and an employee arrived to open the business, read a report in The Journal.

“We came in the back door and his waterbed broke. He was knifed. They must have knifed the waterbed too,” said William Schaefer’s father Erwin Schaefer in the story. “It leaked water from the ceiling and downstairs into the restaurant. There was still water coming down.”

New Ulm Police said Schaefer was found dead by officers and that he suffered a number of lacerations.

On Jan. 18, 1988, Miller (Tenneson) was sentenced to 220 months (18 years, four months) in prison for the stabbing death. He was referenced for prosecution as an adult.

Tenneson was found guilty of second-degree murder in December 1987. His attorney, Pat Moriarty of New Ulm, asked for a 120-month sentence, arguing Miller’s age, the death circumstances, and that he wouldn’t need so long to be rehabilitated.

Prosecuting attorney James Olson said at the time, he could not guess the effectiveness of rehabilitation.

Tenneson worked as a deliveryman at Jake’s Pizza. A witness said Tenneson admitted to him that he stabbed Schaefer and that he owed Schaefer $700 and “had to knock him off,” so he bought a knife at the Brown County Fair on Aug. 20, 1987, the day before Schaefer was murdered.

“I have become religious, re-established family relationships, got married, have eight children, owned and operated three businesses,” Tenneson wrote in court petition.

“I had a very difficult childhood with numerous challenges. I was abused by the individual whose death I was involved with,” read the petition.

“I am a totally different person than I was in my youth,” read Tenneson’s affidavit filed May 18.

“My children and my wife deserve to have a father and husband that is not constrained by what happened 33 years ago,” Tenneson wrote in a letter to the Court. “I was a very troubled youth from a troubled home, surrounded by negative influences — including Mr. Schaefer. My life was filled with addiction and abuse of drugs and alcohol. I was a lawless youth. The statute I am filing under, as I understand it, is intended specifically for cases of juveniles convicted of serious crimes. I served my sentence. My life ever since has proved that I am not the same as I was then.”

Tenneson accused Schaefer of threatening his life with a handgun, read the letter.

“As a lawless youth, I saw no other way out of the situation I was in,” Tenneson wrote. “That night was a turning point in my life. I thank God now I was arrested and imprisoned. I was on a path that would have caused suffering to all around me. In prison, I turned to God.”

A number of character witnesses, including a law enforcement officer who is his brother-in-law, testified they had no issues with Tenneson’s firearm rights being restored.

Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson said he believed Tenneson’s petition is defective for two reasons. First, the City of New Ulm was not notified of the matter and that it should be denied on procedural grounds.

In an email to the Brown County Court Administation filed May 19, Brown County Sheriff Jason Seidl wrote that the sheriff’s office objects to Tenneson’s petition for expungement and restoration of gun rights.

“First of all, I would argue the hearing notice was improper as the New Ulm Police Department was not on the list of agencies served notice of the petition,” read the email.

“The New Ulm Police Department was the local law enforcement agency that had jurisdiction, investigated the crime, signed the criminal complaint and maintains records in the case and would be affected by the proposed order. I would argue that the New Ulm Police Department should also have an opportunity to have a say at the hearing,” read the email.

“Secondly, the crime of murder in the second degree is not eligible for expungement per Minnesota State Statute,” the email read.

“As a Christian, I forgive John Tenneson for the murder of William “Billy” Schaefer,” Seidl wrote. “As sheriff of Brown County, I would object to the expungement of the criminal record and restoration of gun rights. Tenneson was found guilty of the crime, he did premeditate the murder, as that is what the intent was for the purchase of the knife.”

Seidl credited Tenneson for serving his time and being an upstanding citizen since being released from prison but added that there should be lifelong consequences associated with this level of crime.

In a victim impact statement read at the hearing, Lori Schaefer said Tenneson should be serving a life sentence without parole for first-degree murder.

“He doesn’t deserve and should not be granted the petition. He testified he intended to commit murder,” said Schaefer. “Billy (Schaefer) wasn’t perfect, but none of us are. He was kind enough to get John (Tenneson) a job. He knew his parents would find the body. The Schaefer family was given a life sentence. They’ve had to live with this all these years.”

“John should be appreciative for what he has instead of wanting more. He had the chance to love and enjoy his family. He may have found God,” Schaefer said. “I’d like the true story about why he repeatedly stabbed him (William Schaefer). Give me the chance to believe you, not made-up facts. Billy’s life mattered. Thank you.”

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.