Spirit Lake, Iowa — The male half of a duo accused of killing a Lake Park woman in December last year has asked to change his plea in the case, while his female counterpart has been served a Protection Order after allegedly texting a witness in the case.
According to court records, lawyers for 24-year-old Justice Berntson filed a Change of Plea Request with the Dickinson County Court. Berntson had pled Not Guilty to charges of 1st Degree Murder, a Class A Felony, 2nd Degree Theft and Conspiracy to Commit a Non-Forcible Felony, both of which are Class D Felonies, in connection with the death of Angel Bastman, whose lifeless body was discovered in her Lake Park home on December 22nd. Berntson’s Change of Plea Request would indicate that he now plans to plead guilty to the charges. He’ll be in court on the plea change at 2:00 pm on December 17th.
The woman who is also accused in Bastman’s murder, 26-year-old Allison Decker, faces identical charges to Berntson, and she is scheduled for trial May 17th of next year, according to court records.
This past Friday, November 5th, court records indicate that a Temporary Protective Order was issued against Decker, after she allegedly texted witnesses in her case. Then on Monday (November 8th) a Permanent Protective Order was issued after Decker allegedly called someone and told them to have the witness talk to her using a TextNow number. During that phone call with the third party, she allegedly referenced a witness in the case.
Decker entered a Not Guilty Plea to the trio of original charges on August 24th.
