Jury finds Beaver Dam man guilty in 2017 heroin overdose death

DODGE COUNTY -- Brian Larson, II, 29 of Beaver Dam, was found guilty of first degree reckless homicide by a Dodge County jury Thursday, Feb. 28 for the delivery of heroin that caused the death of Dakoda Kline.

According to the Office of the District Attorney, on April 9, 2017 Dodge County officials received a call for a suspicious vehicle parked in a cemetery.  Upon arrival, Kline was found deceased in the vehicle.  Dodge County Medical Examiner later confirmed that Kline died of heroin overdose.  A timeline was then constructed through the information contained on Kline’s phone and cell phone records.

Officials say after work on April 8, 2017, Kline made multiple withdrawals from his bank account in the Juneau and Beaver Dam areas.  Text messages and phone calls between Kline and Brian Larson show that Kline was looking to purchase heroin through Larson.  Larson’s phone traveled from Dodge County to Milwaukee and back, and expert testimony placed Larson and Kline together shortly before Kline made his way to the cemetery to inject heroin.

During the four-day trial, Assistant District Attorney Yolanda J. Tienstra presented the jury with evidence regarding the timeline of events that led up to Kline’s death.  ADA Tienstra stated, “the death of Dakoda Kline was the tragic result of Brian Larson’s criminal behavior.  I hope that the guilty verdict will provide Mr. Kline’s family with the sense of justice they hoped to receive.”

District Attorney Kurt Klomberg stated, “selling illegal drugs is felony behavior.  When a person engages in this dangerous activity, and a person dies from taking the drugs, the seller should expect to be held accountable for the person’s death.”

Larson faces up to 46 years in prison for the Reckless Homicide and Bail Jumping and more than $100,000 in fines.  The sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2019.