On This Date in Minnesota History: February 16

February 16, 1995 – “Mary Sue [Oberender, 46,] was found shot to death in her home [in Watertown, Minn]. Her car was also missing. Authorities discovered the car in Minneapolis and within a half hour arrested two youths who were found hiding a mile from the car.

The youths, Mary Sue's teenage son, Christian, 14, and a friend, also 14, were arrested. They indicated the shooting stemmed from a minor difference one of them had with the mother. Police said the shooting appeared somewhat planned, as if by ambush. There were no signs of a struggle. Authorities were expected to ask that the boys be charged as adults with first-degree murder.

Mary Sue was a volunteer for Scouts and at a local elementary school. Her husband, Lawrence Oberender, is a Watertown-Mayer school board member. Their son, an eighth grader, was described [as] a quiet boy whose only serious problem at school was a three-day suspension last month for an alcohol incident. His father reported speaking with his son two days after the shooting and that his son is "very, very sorry" and wishes the shooting had never occurred.”<sup>1

1</sup>http://www.angelfire.com/mn/WRAPCo/fem95.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/christian-oberender-convicted-killer-gun-permit-arsenal-weapons_n_2517064.html

Christian Oberender
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/crime/index.php?page=3

Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Feb. 16, 2015, 

as long as acknowledgement included.