Albertville man indicted on 1st-degree murder for deadly arson

An Albertville man is now facing the potential of life behind bars in connection with a fire that killed one person and severely hurt another.

A Chisago County grand jury has indicted 35-year-old Dallas Raymond Evenstad on charges of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault in connection with an arson this summer.

Prosecutors allege that Evenstad traveled to a home of two acquaintances in the 400 block of Cambridge Drive in Fish Lake Township on June 4, then went inside at around 3:30 a.m., poured gasoline on them as they slept and lit them on fire.

One man, 69-year-old Charles Alvin Stene, died while a woman who survived suffered second- and third-degree burns and is recovering.

If convicted, Evenstad could now face life in prison compared to the maximum 40 years in prison that he faced under the initial second-degree murder charge.

His next court appearance on the upgraded charges hasn’t yet been set as a mental examination was ordered to determine Evenstad’s competency.