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On September 4 around
9:00 a.m., Sheriff Donald Eustice and Chief Deputy Mert Schwarz went to
serve papers at the Kenneth Jewison farm, eight miles north of Waseca in
Iosco Township. Normally one person served papers, however because they
were not busy, Schwarz rode with Eustice. Schwarz had been to the farm
several times earlier in the week, but Jewison was not home. Eustice was in
plain clothes and unarmed and Schwarz was in uniform and armed. As they
approached the house, they saw Jewison, 64, standing behind the screen
door. They both acknowledged him saying “Hi Kenny.” Jewison then came
outside, aiming a 12-gauge double barreled shotgun at them and fired from
about 12 feet away, hitting Eustice in the right side of his chest. Eustice
went down and never moved. Schwarz jumped backward, drew his revolver, as
he had no cover, and continued to move back in order to make himself harder
to hit. He ordered Jewison to put down the gun but Jewison went into the
house. He ordered him a second time and Jewison threw out the gun and said
, “I give up.” Schwarz then took Jewison into custody and placed him in the
squad and radioed for help. Sheriff Eustice had succumbed to his injuries.
Kenneth Jewison was
indicted on first-degree murder by a grand jury four days after the murder.
He was however, found incompetent to stand trial. He was to remain in a
closed ward at St. Peter State Hospital where he had been since November 19,
1976, and his psychiatric evaluation was to be sealed.
Sheriff Eustice was 47
years old. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1946—1948. He had been in law
enforcement since 1952. He started with the Waseca Police Department, then
went onto the sheriff’s office in 1953. In 1963, Don was named Outstanding
Young Man of the Year by the Jaycees. Don had served as Cub master for the
Cub Scout Pack, started Teen Canteen, was president of the Rotary club,
member of the K.C.’s, and VFW. He also was a member of the fire
department.
In 1966, Don was
elected sheriff and eventually was re-elected for two additional terms in
1970 and 1974.
In 1968 he was elected
president of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Boys Ranch where he served two terms.
In 1970 he organized a sheriffs posse. Sometime later, he started the
snowmobile posse. In 1973, Don was elected president of the Minnesota
Sheriff’s Association.
Don was instrumental in
starting the Invitation Wrestling Tournament in Waseca in 1974. Following
his death, the name was changed to the Eustice Memorial Wrestling
Tournament.
Since Don’s death, the
Eustice Community Service Award is presented to an individual who has served
the community. This is presented by the Chamber of Commerce to an
individual who has been active in a number and variety of areas, and has
served as a leader and assumed responsibility for that service. A
scholarship, “Donald D. Eustice Memorial Scholarship Fund” is given to a
deserving student/s in Waseca County who has been accepted to a college of
their choice to pursue a career in law enforcement.
The editorial in the
Waseca paper on September 7th, 1976 read as follows: “Don Eustice was
loved and respected by almost everyone he knew. Even many of those whom he
had to bring to justice knew him as a fair man. Don was a leader of
overwhelming dynamic force. In his numerous civic activities, he was not
only a member of an organization, but more often than not was the primary
driving force who either got the organization off the ground or breathed new
life into it. In particular, he was a master at dealing with young people.
Many upstanding members of the community today have Don to thank for keeping
them or returning them to the straight and narrow path. He felt every
youngster, no matter what his circumstances, deserved an even break to make
it in this world. Now he is gone, the victim of an apparently senseless
act. One strives to find some possible meaning in this tragic event. Don
spent his life protecting us not only from each other, but from ourselves.
He was a living example for everyone of us to follow. In serving us, he
made the ultimate sacrifice—he gave his life. The bell tolls for all of us,
asking that this man who serves us shall not have died in vain. He was
involved in Mankind, and his death should serve as a cue to all of us to
live life as he did, to the fullest.”
Don was survived by
his wife, Ester, and nine children, Doug, Gary, Becky, Scott, Brad, Todd,
Peggy, Barry and Barby.
Curtis Felt attended the funeral of Sheriff Eustice
and commented to his parents that he was overwhelmed by the outstanding
support that police officers show to honor the life and death of a fellow
officer. Curtis was killed in the line of duty less than two years later.
The support was once again evident. |
