The upcoming trial of Daniel Breijo, a man charged with the Christmas Eve 2023 murder of North Dakota National Guardsman Nicholas Van Pelt, has been officially rescheduled following a recent court hearing. According to KXNET and Minot Daily News, the new trial date, set after a rejected plea deal, will see Breijo face a jury in March 2026—more than two years after the violent events that shook the Minot community.
On September 26, 2025, a scheduling conference was held via Zoom in North Central District Court to address the status of Breijo’s case. Originally, the trial was slated to begin in October 2025, with a specific start date of October 6. However, the timeline shifted dramatically after District Court Judge Daniel El-Dweek rejected a proposed plea agreement between the prosecution and the defense earlier in September.
All parties have now agreed that the trial will run from March 16 through March 27, 2026, spanning a total of ten days. This new date was confirmed in court records and reported by Minot Daily News. The delay, while frustrating for some, was a direct consequence of the plea deal’s rejection and the ensuing need for both sides to regroup and prepare for a full trial.
The case against Breijo stems from a harrowing incident on December 24, 2023, when he allegedly shot and killed Nicholas Van Pelt and critically injured Van Pelt’s girlfriend. The event, which took place in Minot, North Dakota, sent shockwaves through the local community and beyond, especially given Van Pelt’s status as a National Guardsman. The details of the shooting have not been fully disclosed in the public record, but the severity of the charges speaks volumes about the gravity of the situation.
Initially, both the prosecution and defense had reached a tentative plea agreement that would have seen Breijo’s most serious charge—Class AA murder—reduced to Class B felony manslaughter. Under this deal, Breijo would have served 20 years in prison. But Judge El-Dweek, exercising his judicial discretion, rejected the agreement earlier this month. The reasons for the rejection remain a point of speculation, as the judge declined to elaborate during the recent scheduling conference.
During the hearing, both prosecutors and Breijo’s defense team requested that Judge El-Dweek provide an explanation for his decision to deny the plea bargain. However, El-Dweek stood firm, stating that offering such an explanation would amount to engaging in plea negotiation, something strictly prohibited under court rules. For now, the rationale behind the judge’s decision remains under wraps, leaving both legal teams to prepare for a trial that could have life-altering consequences for the defendant.
With the plea deal off the table, Breijo now faces the full brunt of the original charges brought against him. These include aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, terrorizing, and, most significantly, murder. If convicted on the murder charge alone, Breijo could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole—a dramatic escalation from the 20-year sentence outlined in the rejected plea agreement. According to KXNET, this charge is considered the most serious and carries the harshest penalty under North Dakota law.
For the family and friends of Nicholas Van Pelt, the rescheduling of the trial represents yet another chapter in a long and painful wait for justice. Van Pelt’s death on Christmas Eve left a deep scar on the Minot community, and the critical injuries suffered by his girlfriend only compound the tragedy. While the legal process grinds forward, those affected must continue to navigate the emotional aftermath of a crime that upended their lives during what should have been a season of celebration and togetherness.
The rejected plea deal has also sparked conversation among local legal experts and community members alike. Plea agreements are a common feature of the American justice system, often used to resolve cases more quickly and with less uncertainty than a jury trial. In this instance, however, the judge’s refusal to accept the deal signals a belief that the proposed resolution did not adequately reflect the seriousness of the crime or serve the interests of justice. As Minot Daily News noted, the move returns the case to its original trajectory—a high-stakes trial with potentially lifelong consequences for the accused.
Observers have pointed out that judicial rejections of plea deals, while not everyday occurrences, are well within a judge’s authority. In North Dakota, as in many states, judges are not bound to accept agreements reached between prosecutors and defendants. Their role is to ensure that any resolution of a criminal case aligns with the interests of justice, public safety, and the rights of both victims and the accused. While this power is rarely exercised, it can have profound effects on the course of a case, as seen here.
As the March 2026 trial date approaches, both sides are expected to intensify their preparations. The prosecution will likely focus on building a case that establishes Breijo’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, drawing on physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, and expert analysis. The defense, meanwhile, will seek to challenge the prosecution’s narrative and cast doubt on key elements of the case. With the possibility of a life sentence without parole hanging in the balance, the stakes could not be higher for Daniel Breijo.
The broader Minot community, too, will be watching closely. The death of a National Guardsman under such violent circumstances has touched a nerve, raising questions about gun violence, mental health, and the adequacy of the legal system in addressing such tragedies. While the trial itself will focus on the specifics of the Breijo case, its outcome may also shape local conversations about justice, accountability, and the meaning of closure for victims’ families.
For now, the case of Daniel Breijo remains unresolved, its final act still months away. The rescheduled trial date offers a new timeline for justice, but also prolongs the uncertainty for all involved. As the community waits, the memory of Nicholas Van Pelt—and the search for answers in the wake of his death—continues to loom large over Minot and beyond.
With the legal process set to unfold in March 2026, all eyes will be on the North Central District Court as it seeks to deliver a verdict in one of Minot’s most closely watched criminal cases in recent memory.