MISSOULA — The family of a 17-year-old German exchange student who was shot to death last spring in Montana has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the home where he was shot.
Celal Dede sued Markus Kaarma and Janelle Pflager in U.S. District Court in Missoula late Wednesday as a representative of the estate of his son, Diren Dede. It seeks damages for Dede’s medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, wrongful death and lost earnings.
Kaarma was sentenced Thursday to 70 years in prison for deliberate homicide in Dede’s death and won’t be eligible for parole for 20 years. Kaarma’s attorneys have said they will appeal his conviction.
The lawsuit argues Pflager had a duty to intervene to stop Kaarma from trapping Dede in the garage and shooting him.
There is no phone listing for Pflager in Missoula.