Man charged in bludgeoning death of landlord

A 23-year-old Minneapolis man charged with murder allegedly hit his landlord with a crowbar over 20 times, killing him.

Adam Lee Sterling was charged Wednesday in Hennepin County.

According to the criminal complaint, Sterling's landlord, 22-year-old Leo Daniel Kohorst, was found dead early Sunday. The medical examiner says Kohorst died from blunt-force trauma inflicted by a weapon like a crowbar or claw hammer. A crowbar was found in the neighborhood.

The complaint says a witness told police he heard a loud noise and saw Sterling standing over Kohorst, and blood spatter on the wall.

Investigators found Kohorst was considering evicting Sterling because Sterling had broken some house rules such as smoking.

Sterling is in custody. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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