Judge Refuses to Dismiss Murder Case Against Little Falls Man

LITTLE FALLS -- A Little Falls man will face a third degree murder charge after a Morrison County judge refused to dismiss the case.

Judge Conrad Freeberg ruled there is probable cause to try 46-year-old Warren Okerman in the death of 41-year-old Leslie Peterson.

Okerman is accused of giving the Little Falls woman methamphetamine on June 1st, 2012. Peterson was found dead the next day.

Records show the Ramsey County Medical Examiner found Peterson's death was caused by methamphetamine toxicity, along with other contributing health factors including heart disease.

The defense argued for charges to be dismissed saying the the prosecution couldn't prove it was the meth which killed Peterson and that heart disease alone could have caused her death.

Okerman has a plea hearing set for October 8th.