Spirit Lake, Iowa — The male half of a duo accused of killing a Lake Park woman in December last year has changed his plea in the case.
According to court records, 24-year-old Justice Berntson changed his plea to guilty on an amended charge. The waiver of rights and plea of guilty states that count one of Berntson’s charges has been amended to ATTEMPT to commit murder, which is a Class B Felony.
Berntson had pleaded 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, 2020.
The woman who is also accused in Bastman’s murder, 26-year-old Allison Decker, still faces a First Degree Murder charge, with other charges identical to Berntson’s, and she is scheduled for trial on May 17th of next year, according to court records.
Former Lyon County Attorney Shayne Mayer is the district judge assigned to the case.
