5/21/2025

ASHLAND - A former Ashland businessman has been sentenced to life in prison. Nathan Monkelien was found guilty of first- and second-degree intentional homicide in the shooting deaths of 30-year-old Manuel and 27-year-old Luis Garcia Salas, outside of his bar in 2023. Monkelien was given a life sentence for the first-degree murder charge and a concurrent sentence of 20 years for the second-degree murder charge. He would be able to petition for release to extended supervision after serving 30 years of the life sentence. Attorney General Josh Kaul said the sentence “ensures the defendant is held accountable for a horrific act of violence.”