Ten days before Christmas, 2021, Boyd VanVooren, the police chief in Milbank, S.D., called resident Brent Monroe Hanson to the station. VanVooren had two things for Hanson: a Christmas card and a question.
Hanson, 57, was awaiting trial on charges that he assaulted his brother's wife, who lived in the upstairs apartment of a property they all shared. VanVooren asked whether there had been any further issues at home with Hanson's brother and sister-in-law.
"They no longer live here," Hanson answered, according to a police report.
As the conversation progressed, VanVooren later asked where Hanson's brother had moved. Hanson drew his thumb across his neck, "indicating a 'slashing motion,' " the report says.
"I snapped," Hanson continued, according to the police report. "I killed them on Sunday."
Officers were soon dispatched to the home, where they found Hanson's brother, Clyde Hanson, and sister-in-law, Jessica Hanson, dead inside. Jessica Hanson was nine months pregnant, according to police; her unborn child had also died.
Brent Hanson now faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in connection with their deaths. Aberdeen News reported that the counts are alternating charges, meaning that if Hanson is not convicted of first-degree murder, which is premeditated, he could still be convicted of the lesser charges.
According to a probable cause statement posted online by KELO, VanVooren sent Hanson a Facebook message on Dec. 14 asking whether he could come in the following day so the chief could give him a Christmas card from church. At their meeting the next morning, Hanson made the comment about his brother and sister-in-law no longer living at the property the two brothers co-owned, according to the statement.
About 35 minutes into their meeting, a call went out over the police radio indicating that a food delivery person had noticed blood on the door of the Hanson home. The chief asked Hanson for more clarity on where his brother Clyde had moved and questioned why there was blood on the door. That's when Hanson made the comment about how he'd "snapped" and killed the couple, the police report says.
Questioned further, it says, Hanson told VanVooren he'd attacked his brother with a baseball bat on Sunday, when Clyde Hanson was home alone, and then slashed his sister-in-law with a machete the following morning when she returned. Hanson said he'd been caring for the couple's 3-year-old son in the days since, the report adds.
VanVooren detained Hanson and summoned the Grant County sheriff before heading to the family's home. Inside, law enforcement officers found Jessica Hanson beneath a blue tarp and Clyde Hanson behind some drywall. Their son was found safe in a separate part of the home.
The police report says Clyde Hanson had severe head trauma, while Jessica Hanson was found with several slash wounds. The couple planned to name their baby girl Annika.
Brent Hanson is due to appear in court Wednesday morning, court records show.
Hanson still faces two counts of simple assault in the previous incident of alleged violence against his sister-in-law. A probable cause statement says that on July 24, Jessica Hanson had confronted Brent Hanson about her missing dog, which he was supposed to be watching while she was away receiving medical treatment. He said he had taken the dog to a farm but refused to tell her where it was located, the police report says.
An argument ensued, and Brent Hanson pushed the woman and hit her multiple times on the head, according to the report, which says Clyde Hanson saw what happened and intervened. Later that morning, the couple reported the incident to police.
At the time, Jessica Hanson said the incident was unusual because she typically got along well with her brother-in-law. "However," the report notes, "Jessica did say she was afraid for her safety and afraid to go back home because she is unsure what Brent is capable of."
Hanson, 57, was awaiting trial on charges that he assaulted his brother's wife, who lived in the upstairs apartment of a property they all shared. VanVooren asked whether there had been any further issues at home with Hanson's brother and sister-in-law.
"They no longer live here," Hanson answered, according to a police report.
As the conversation progressed, VanVooren later asked where Hanson's brother had moved. Hanson drew his thumb across his neck, "indicating a 'slashing motion,' " the report says.
"I snapped," Hanson continued, according to the police report. "I killed them on Sunday."
Officers were soon dispatched to the home, where they found Hanson's brother, Clyde Hanson, and sister-in-law, Jessica Hanson, dead inside. Jessica Hanson was nine months pregnant, according to police; her unborn child had also died.
Brent Hanson now faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in connection with their deaths. Aberdeen News reported that the counts are alternating charges, meaning that if Hanson is not convicted of first-degree murder, which is premeditated, he could still be convicted of the lesser charges.
According to a probable cause statement posted online by KELO, VanVooren sent Hanson a Facebook message on Dec. 14 asking whether he could come in the following day so the chief could give him a Christmas card from church. At their meeting the next morning, Hanson made the comment about his brother and sister-in-law no longer living at the property the two brothers co-owned, according to the statement.
About 35 minutes into their meeting, a call went out over the police radio indicating that a food delivery person had noticed blood on the door of the Hanson home. The chief asked Hanson for more clarity on where his brother Clyde had moved and questioned why there was blood on the door. That's when Hanson made the comment about how he'd "snapped" and killed the couple, the police report says.
Questioned further, it says, Hanson told VanVooren he'd attacked his brother with a baseball bat on Sunday, when Clyde Hanson was home alone, and then slashed his sister-in-law with a machete the following morning when she returned. Hanson said he'd been caring for the couple's 3-year-old son in the days since, the report adds.
VanVooren detained Hanson and summoned the Grant County sheriff before heading to the family's home. Inside, law enforcement officers found Jessica Hanson beneath a blue tarp and Clyde Hanson behind some drywall. Their son was found safe in a separate part of the home.
The police report says Clyde Hanson had severe head trauma, while Jessica Hanson was found with several slash wounds. The couple planned to name their baby girl Annika.
Brent Hanson is due to appear in court Wednesday morning, court records show.
Hanson still faces two counts of simple assault in the previous incident of alleged violence against his sister-in-law. A probable cause statement says that on July 24, Jessica Hanson had confronted Brent Hanson about her missing dog, which he was supposed to be watching while she was away receiving medical treatment. He said he had taken the dog to a farm but refused to tell her where it was located, the police report says.
An argument ensued, and Brent Hanson pushed the woman and hit her multiple times on the head, according to the report, which says Clyde Hanson saw what happened and intervened. Later that morning, the couple reported the incident to police.
At the time, Jessica Hanson said the incident was unusual because she typically got along well with her brother-in-law. "However," the report notes, "Jessica did say she was afraid for her safety and afraid to go back home because she is unsure what Brent is capable of."
Ten days before Christmas, 2021, Boyd VanVooren, the police chief in Milbank, S.D., called resident Brent Monroe Hanson to the station. VanVooren had two things for Hanson: a Christmas card and a question.
Hanson, 57, was awaiting trial on charges that he assaulted his brother's wife, who lived in the upstairs apartment of a property they all shared. VanVooren asked whether there had been any further issues at home with Hanson's brother and sister-in-law.
"They no longer live here," Hanson answered, according to a police report.
As the conversation progressed, VanVooren later asked where Hanson's brother had moved. Hanson drew his thumb across his neck, "indicating a 'slashing motion,' " the report says.
"I snapped," Hanson continued, according to the police report. "I killed them on Sunday."
Officers were soon dispatched to the home, where they found Hanson's brother, Clyde Hanson, and sister-in-law, Jessica Hanson, dead inside. Jessica Hanson was nine months pregnant, according to police; her unborn child had also died.
Brent Hanson now faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in connection with their deaths. Aberdeen News reported that the counts are alternating charges, meaning that if Hanson is not convicted of first-degree murder, which is premeditated, he could still be convicted of the lesser charges.
According to a probable cause statement posted online by KELO, VanVooren sent Hanson a Facebook message on Dec. 14 asking whether he could come in the following day so the chief could give him a Christmas card from church. At their meeting the next morning, Hanson made the comment about his brother and sister-in-law no longer living at the property the two brothers co-owned, according to the statement.
About 35 minutes into their meeting, a call went out over the police radio indicating that a food delivery person had noticed blood on the door of the Hanson home. The chief asked Hanson for more clarity on where his brother Clyde had moved and questioned why there was blood on the door. That's when Hanson made the comment about how he'd "snapped" and killed the couple, the police report says.
Questioned further, it says, Hanson told VanVooren he'd attacked his brother with a baseball bat on Sunday, when Clyde Hanson was home alone, and then slashed his sister-in-law with a machete the following morning when she returned. Hanson said he'd been caring for the couple's 3-year-old son in the days since, the report adds.
VanVooren detained Hanson and summoned the Grant County sheriff before heading to the family's home. Inside, law enforcement officers found Jessica Hanson beneath a blue tarp and Clyde Hanson behind some drywall. Their son was found safe in a separate part of the home.
The police report says Clyde Hanson had severe head trauma, while Jessica Hanson was found with several slash wounds. The couple planned to name their baby girl Annika.
Brent Hanson is due to appear in court Wednesday morning, court records show.
Hanson still faces two counts of simple assault in the previous incident of alleged violence against his sister-in-law. A probable cause statement says that on July 24, Jessica Hanson had confronted Brent Hanson about her missing dog, which he was supposed to be watching while she was away receiving medical treatment. He said he had taken the dog to a farm but refused to tell her where it was located, the police report says.
An argument ensued, and Brent Hanson pushed the woman and hit her multiple times on the head, according to the report, which says Clyde Hanson saw what happened and intervened. Later that morning, the couple reported the incident to police.
At the time, Jessica Hanson said the incident was unusual because she typically got along well with her brother-in-law. "However," the report notes, "Jessica did say she was afraid for her safety and afraid to go back home because she is unsure what Brent is capable of."
Hanson, 57, was awaiting trial on charges that he assaulted his brother's wife, who lived in the upstairs apartment of a property they all shared. VanVooren asked whether there had been any further issues at home with Hanson's brother and sister-in-law.
"They no longer live here," Hanson answered, according to a police report.
As the conversation progressed, VanVooren later asked where Hanson's brother had moved. Hanson drew his thumb across his neck, "indicating a 'slashing motion,' " the report says.
"I snapped," Hanson continued, according to the police report. "I killed them on Sunday."
Officers were soon dispatched to the home, where they found Hanson's brother, Clyde Hanson, and sister-in-law, Jessica Hanson, dead inside. Jessica Hanson was nine months pregnant, according to police; her unborn child had also died.
Brent Hanson now faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in connection with their deaths. Aberdeen News reported that the counts are alternating charges, meaning that if Hanson is not convicted of first-degree murder, which is premeditated, he could still be convicted of the lesser charges.
According to a probable cause statement posted online by KELO, VanVooren sent Hanson a Facebook message on Dec. 14 asking whether he could come in the following day so the chief could give him a Christmas card from church. At their meeting the next morning, Hanson made the comment about his brother and sister-in-law no longer living at the property the two brothers co-owned, according to the statement.
About 35 minutes into their meeting, a call went out over the police radio indicating that a food delivery person had noticed blood on the door of the Hanson home. The chief asked Hanson for more clarity on where his brother Clyde had moved and questioned why there was blood on the door. That's when Hanson made the comment about how he'd "snapped" and killed the couple, the police report says.
Questioned further, it says, Hanson told VanVooren he'd attacked his brother with a baseball bat on Sunday, when Clyde Hanson was home alone, and then slashed his sister-in-law with a machete the following morning when she returned. Hanson said he'd been caring for the couple's 3-year-old son in the days since, the report adds.
VanVooren detained Hanson and summoned the Grant County sheriff before heading to the family's home. Inside, law enforcement officers found Jessica Hanson beneath a blue tarp and Clyde Hanson behind some drywall. Their son was found safe in a separate part of the home.
The police report says Clyde Hanson had severe head trauma, while Jessica Hanson was found with several slash wounds. The couple planned to name their baby girl Annika.
Brent Hanson is due to appear in court Wednesday morning, court records show.
Hanson still faces two counts of simple assault in the previous incident of alleged violence against his sister-in-law. A probable cause statement says that on July 24, Jessica Hanson had confronted Brent Hanson about her missing dog, which he was supposed to be watching while she was away receiving medical treatment. He said he had taken the dog to a farm but refused to tell her where it was located, the police report says.
An argument ensued, and Brent Hanson pushed the woman and hit her multiple times on the head, according to the report, which says Clyde Hanson saw what happened and intervened. Later that morning, the couple reported the incident to police.
At the time, Jessica Hanson said the incident was unusual because she typically got along well with her brother-in-law. "However," the report notes, "Jessica did say she was afraid for her safety and afraid to go back home because she is unsure what Brent is capable of."
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