Lyle: Sheriff questions youths after teacher's home is vandalized

The Mower County sheriff's office is investigating a report of teacher harassment in the southeastern Minnesota town of Lyle.

Deputy John LaVelle said vandals spray-painted the message "You Next" Monday night or early Tuesday on the mobile home of Curt Bietz, an industrial arts and physical education teacher for grades 9 and 10. His car was also painted, they said.

In August, another Lyle teacher, Sharon Turnbull, was found shot to death in her home. Authorities said she had been a victim of harassment, including spray-painting, for 18 months.

A 14-year-old neighbor of Turnbull was arrested and is awaiting trial in juvenile court.

LaVelle said several youths had been questioned about the vandalism to Bietz's property, but no arrests have been made.

Bietz, 26, and his wife and daughter moved to Lyle in September from Aberdeen, S.D.

Meanwhile, a new judge has been assigned to Turnbull case. The juvenile court proceedings now have been assigned to Olmsted Court Judge Harold Krieger.

Judge Gerard Ring, also of Olmsted County, had been scheduled to preside, but prosecutor Charlotte Peterson asked that he be removed. She declined to tell reporters the reason for her request.