Trial set in death of palsy patient

Bill Gang

Monday, Oct. 4, 1999 | 11:49 a.m.

An Oct. 18 arraignment date has been set for a 67-year-old Las Vegas man who has been ordered to stand trial on murder and kidnapping charges in the beating death of a cerebral palsy patient.

Wilman Oslund could be imprisoned for the rest of his life if he is convicted of killing his 49-year-old sister-in-law, Sheila Manantan, in December 1998 and hiding her body in a freezer for three days before thawing it out, dressing it and then calling authorities.

Charges against Oslund were not filed until eight months after the death because of the bizarre set of circumstances and Oslund's story to police that the bruises on the victim's body were caused by frequent falls that were a result of her medical condition.

Testimony at Friday's preliminary before pro tem Justice of the Peace Thomas Sheets indicated Oslund admitted to police he delayed reporting the death because he knew there were problems with the bruises on the victim and rope marks on her ankles.

Those marks are alleged to be the result of Oslund tying Manantan to a toilet for hours as punishment for throwing food and urinating on herself.

Deputy Public Defender Curtis Brown contended that the restraints on the woman -- which were the basis for the kidnapping charge -- were to keep her from scratching sores on her body.

Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Lary Simms testified that the "large amount of trauma on the body and number of blunt force injuries" could not have been the result of falls.

Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney L.J. O'Neale, Simms added that Manantan suffered a head injury that was consistent with the head being hit against a wall.

At the end of the preliminary hearing, Sheets ruled there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.

Oslund had been caring for Manantan, who was mentally challenged in addition to having cerebral palsy, since his wife, Manantan's sister, died in November 1997.

Oslund's 30-year-old girlfriend, Sherry Kahalehoe, originally was charged in the victim's death, but prosecutors have dropped those charges, and she appeared in court to testify against the defendant.