Charges: Security hospital patient killed roommate with guitar

A Minnesota Security Hospital patient is accused of murdering his roommate with a guitar.

David Michael Otey, 43, of St Peter, was charged earlier this month in Nicollet County Court with felony counts of 2nd-degree murder, 1st-degree assault, 2nd-degree assault, and 4th-degree assault in a secure treatment facility.

St. Peter Police received a report of a disturbance at the hospital at 1:14 a.m. on January 1.  Officers learned that several staff members were locked in offices and one of them was potentially injured.

According to the criminal complaint, officers arrived and found Otey, who had been identified as the suspect, in a hallway, pacing and repeatedly balling his hands into fists .

After Otey was handcuffed, a hospital employee confirmed that Otey had choked her earlier, according to the complaint. Police were then advised that a patient had also been injured and ambulance staff were already rendering aid to the man, who was Otey’s roommate.

Police say the victim sustained obvious trauma to his head and face, and there was significant blood pooling around that area. He was transported to a hospital.

The complaint says a damaged black guitar with blood on it was on a stand on Otey’s side of the room and pieces of broken wood were discovered on his roommate’s bed.

The worker who had allegedly been choked told police that Otey had approached the staff desk and said that someone should check on his roommate because Otey had hit him over the head with a guitar.  The woman stayed with Otey at the desk while other staff began to walk to his room, according to the complaint.  She told investigators Otey then jumped over the desk and put her in a chokehold.  The complaint says the other staff members rushed back to stop the assault, then locked themselves in the office to wait for police.

Three hospital employees told investigators they heard Otey admit to attacking his roommate with a guitar.  A registered nurse said she found the victim lying in bed with head trauma and covered by a sheet.

The victim received emergency medical treatment, but was pronounced dead about an hour and 15 minutes after initial call to police, according to the complaint.  A medical examiner’s report ruled his death a homicide from blunt force trauma.

Otey is currently in custody in Nicollet County Court.  He has an omnibus hearing set for January 16.