Man suspected in killing former UW-Stevens Point student has to deal with marijuana charges first

By Brandi Makuski

A 30-year-old man accused in the shooting death of a Stevens Point man in March is back in Wisconsin, but won’t face charges in Portage Co. for an unknown period of time.

Kyle Engen, 30, is the only suspect in the death of 21-year-old Deonta Lezine near the intersection of Fifth and Minnesota avenues during what police describe as a suspected drug deal gone bad. Engen immediately left the area and evaded police for more than a a month before being arrested on a probation violation in Granby, Colo. on April 21 by U.S. Marshals.

After being shot, Lezine was found by emergency crews at Berg Gym on the UWSP campus and taken to an undisclosed trauma center, where he remained on life support until he died on March 25.

Kyle Engen is in the Dane County Jail, according to Portage Co. District Attorney Louis Molepske.

“Dane County Probation and Parole is working on the revocation process on his Dane County case that he was on probation for,” Molepske said via email. “In Dane County…he faces the revocation of his Class I felony conviction for possess with intent to deliver THC.”

Engen faces up to three and a half years in prison for that charge.

“An administrative law judge will determine in Dane County what the sentence will be,” Molepske said. “Once that proceeding is finished he can then be brought to Portage County to face charges here. As far as timing, it all depends on how fast Dane County moves his revocation hearing through their court system.”

Engen’s next Dane Co. court date has not been set.