Frickel found not guilty of elder abuse

A jury found Trina Frickel, who was accused of elder abuse, not guilty after less than two hours of deliberation at the end of a two-day trial in state District Court in Montana.

The state charged Frickel with allegedly misappropriating funds from the 88-year-old’s account for her own use.

After two days of jury selection and testimony, the jury retired to deliberate at 4:14 Wednesday afternoon. The jury informed the court at 5:59 p.m. it had reached its verdict.

Killebrew said the joint bank account she set up so Frickel could help her was misused.

She said Frickel made withdrawals that were not approved by her — anywhere from $500 to $1,000.

Eric Frickel, Trina Frickel’s brother-in-law, had been helping his grandmother previously before she suspected him of misappropriating funds and she took him off of the joint account and added Trina Frickel.

The state also charged Eric Frickel with elder abuse. He entered a deferred prosecution agreement in March including that he will pay restitution of more than $8,000 to Killebrew.