Court documents reveal history of domestic violence
Published 2:17 pm Monday, June 22, 2009
Freeborn County District Court documents reveal there was a history of alleged domestic abuse in the relationship of Jody Lee Morrow and Chad Jamie Gulbertson.
Morrow, 38, who was found dead Sunday inside her trailer at 730 Larimore Circle, applied for an emergency order for protection against Gulbertson, 37, in both September of 2008 and in May of 2009. She was granted an official order for protection June 1, according to court records.
Gulbertson was to have no direct or indirect contact with Morrow, whether that was through telephone, mail, e-mail, messaging or a third party, the order stated. This was valid through June 1, 2010.
In the application for the emergency order in May, Morrow stated Gulbertson had allegedly hit her “hard enough to leave a mark” on her arm and had stomped on her foot, after she had just gotten home from having emergency surgery on that foot. Her right leg is amputated below the knee, and her left leg has a few toes amputated, papers stated. She is confined to a wheelchair because of medical-related problems.
“The pain in my foot was excruciating, causing me to cry,” Morrow wrote in the application. She said she was going to call the police and Gulbertson told her he was going to kill her.
He took her 42-inch television and threw it into her mirrors in the bedroom, documents state.
The couple lived together for 3 1/2 years, from October of 2005 to April 15, 2009.
Morrow stated Gulbertson also kept swords in the trailer and had threatened to kill her with them before.
During the emergency order for protection application in September of 2008, Morrow stated Gulbertson shoved her into a wall, kicked her in the stomach and threatened to destroy the house, according to court papers.
In July of 2008, Morrow wrote, Gulbertson pushed her up against the wall, and she got a knot on the back of her head. She said he threatened to “cut her head off.” When she called 911, he threatened he would kill police officers as well, documents state.
“I do not believe Chad’s behavior will change, he is always blaming me and everyone else,” Morrow wrote. “I don’t want to live like this anymore.”
Gulbertson is in custody awaiting charges in Morrow’s death.
Authorities stated Gulbertson and a family reportedly came into the Law Enforcement Center Sunday morning, reporting that Gulbertson thought he killed his girlfriend at the trailer.
It is still unknown how or at what time Morrow died.