Oklahoma man sentenced for beating death at Sioux City motel

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Oklahoma man has been sentenced to five years in prison for the beating death of his brother-in-law outside a Sioux City motel.

Jordan Kaesemeyer, 36, of Marlow, Oklahoma, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in September to involuntary manslaughter for the June 2020 death of Justin Morrison, also of Oklahoma, the Sioux City Journal reported. Assault and willful injury counts were dismissed in exchange for his plea.

Police have said the two men were part of a construction crew erecting a cell tower in the area and were staying at the Palmer House Motel when they got into a fight. Investigators determined that Kaesemeyer punched Morrison in the face, and when Morrison bent over to pick up his hat, Kaesemeyer kicked Morrison in the face with a steel-toed work boot.

Morrison refused to seek medical attention and was later found dead on his motel bed.

Kaesemeyer was married to the sister of Morrison’s wife. He was arrested in November 2020.