In August, a jury found Chad Isaak guilty of the murders of Robert Fakler (RJR Maintenance and Management coowner), and Adam Fuehrer (42; Bill Cobb, 50) and Lois Cobb (45).
They were stabbed and shot by the RJR Building in Mandan on April 1, 2019. Mandan is a city of approximately 20,000 people, just across the Missouri River. Investigators claim that the victims sustained more than 100 stab injuries.
Isaak was also found guilty for burglary, unlawful entry in a vehicle and a misdemeanor count for unauthorized use.
South Central District Judge David Reich will likely hear impact statements from victims’ families at the sentencing hearing.
Isaak was a Navy veteran and chiropractor. He lived in Washburn, where RJR managed the property. However, it was never determined what motivated the murders. Washburn is about 40 miles (64.37 km) north of Mandan.
Bruce Quick, the defense attorney for North Dakota, acknowledged that it was one of North Dakota’s most horrific crimes. He maintained that during the three-week trial, investigators did not consider any other suspects, such as people who had been sued or evicted by RJR as well as long lists of RJR employees who were fired.
Defense also claimed that police failed to verify the ex-husband and wife of Fakler.
Prosecutors presented security camera footage from several businesses that authorities claimed tracked Isaak’s white pickup truck from Mandan to Washburn on that day. They also showed footage from one week prior that they believed indicated that the killer planned the attack.
Experts inforensics testified that the fibers found on the clothes of the slain workers were identical to fibers taken from Isaak. DNA evidence was also found in Isaak’s pickup truck and it was possible that this DNA was related to Fakler or Lois Cobb.
