A Minnesota woman learned on Monday that she will avoid prison time for helping to cover up last year’s murder of her roommate.
KVRR reported that Andrea Payne, 27, was sentenced to 378 days that she has already served for her role in Dystynee Avery’s April 2020 slaying. Payne confessed to knowing that their other roommate, Ethan Broad, 28, had killed Avery, whose dismembered body was discovered at a landfill in Hawley three weeks after the slaying.
Inforum reported that Payne was in the apartment when she overheard Avery and Broad arguing in another room. She said heard several strikes or thumps before Broad exited the room and told Payne to leave. Prosecutors said Broad had bludgeoned Avery with a pipe and slit her throat.
A criminal complaint graphically detailed how Broad took Avery’s body to the garage, where he dismembered her with saws before discarding her body in a dumpster. Payne returned to the apartment several hours later with friend David Erno, 23.
According to Inforum, Payne ultimately confessed to police that Broad had told her he killed Avery. However, Payne initially lied to police, claiming Avery was missing and may have hitchhiked to Texas or Colorado.
Citing court documents filed last April, KYFR reported that Payne did not check on Avery before leaving the home and never reported her death to authorities. Payne said she was making a sandwich when Broad admitted to killing Avery — and recalled noticing blood on Broad’s face, the documents stated.
Payne was sentenced to five years of supervised probation in addition to time served. Erno, who admitted to wiping data from Avery’s computer, will be sentenced next week.
Inforum reported that a third person, Brandon Erbstoesser, 34, is also facing accomplice charges for providing Broad with advice on how to conceal evidence.
Broad pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with intent, but he has asked to withdraw the plea. Late last month, a Clay County judge delayed his sentencing amid concerns regarding his competency.
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[Featured image: Dystynee Avery/Facebook]
