Two men received sentences on Friday in a Minnesota courtroom one year after 17-year-old Tara Fitzgerald's fatal synthetic drug overdose. Alexander Lee Clausen received a sentence of slightly over six years in prison, and Cole Alexander Matenaer received a sentence of one year in jail and 15 years' probation, The Pioneer Press reported. The two men pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, the newspaper reported. Sentenced: 20-year-old Alexander Lee Clausen, left, received a sentence of slightly over six years in prison, and 19-year-old Cole Alexander Matenaer, right, received a sentence of one year in jail and 15 years' probation . Honor student: 17-year-old Tara Fitzgerald took a synthetic drug during a January 2014 sleepover, but reportedly thought it was LSD . The hearings for defendants Sydney Claire Johnson, Allistair Curtis Berg and Brian Phillip Norlander - all 18 - will take place later this year, according to The Pioneer Press. Fitzgerald died after she was discovered unresponsive on January 11, 2014, the newspaper reported. Though police were informed by the 17-year-old's friends she thought she took LSD, the drug was actually the synthetic 25i-NBOMe, The Pioneer Press reported. Citing a criminal complaint, the newspaper reported Claussen first had the drug before it was given to Matenaer - then the drug was sold to the other three defendants before Fitzgerald purchased it. Last May, The Star Tribune reported that Fitzgerald was an avid reader and honor student, as well as an Anglophile and Harry Potter fan - and  asked her parents' permission to let a friend sleep over after doing well on the ACT exam. Her parents told the newspaper they checked her digital communications, warned against drugs and made sure she didn't go on dates with boys. The female friend took the drug with Fitzgerald during the sleepover, The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Missed: Tara Fitzgerald was an avid reader and honor student, as well as an Anglophile and Harry Potter fan - and asked her parents' permission to let a friend sleep over after doing well on the ACT exam . According to the newspaper, the pal heard Fitzgerald making noises and in the morning contacted her mother, who dialed both 911 and the Fitzgeralds - but Tara's parents did not return home in time to her. Father Thomas Fitzgerald said in court his daughter was downstairs with the friend as he and he wife were  sleeping,The Woodbury Bulletin reported. He reportedly said that the friend witnessed Tara's overdose and contacted a pal, and fearing repercussions, did not inform him of what was happening. 'How would you like to live with this knowledge if this had happened to your child at your house while you slept?' Thomas Fitzgerald said, per The Woodbury Bulletin. 'Hold drug dealers accountable for my Tara’s and other people’s sons’ and daughters’ murders,'; he also reportedly told the judge. 'These criminals should be held responsible and punished appropriately if they sell a drug that kills someone.' According to the newspaper, Matenar cried as Fitzgerald spoke, though Claussen 'sat, eyes fixed straight ahead from his seat at the defense table.' Claussen said on Friday 'I just want to say how sorry I am to everyone involved in this situation,' and 'If I could take away the pain, I would,' per The Woodbury Bulletin. Meanwhile, Matenaer reportedly said 'Words will never be able to express [the remorse.]'
Two Minnesota men received sentences on Friday stemming from 17-year-old Tara Fitzgerald's 2014 fatal drug overdose .
Alexander Clausen received a sentence of slightly over six years in prison .
Cole Matenaer received a sentence of one year in jail and 15 years' probation .
Fitzgerald died after she was discovered unresponsive on January 11, 2014 .
She was an avid reader and honor student, and asked her parents' permission to let a friend sleep over after doing well on the ACT .
Fitzgerald and the friend both took a synthetic drug that night .
Two men received sentences on Friday in a Minnesota courtroom one year after 17-year-old Tara Fitzgerald's fatal synthetic drug overdose. Alexander Lee Clausen received a sentence of slightly over six years in prison, and Cole Alexander Matenaer received a sentence of one year in jail and 15 years' probation, The Pioneer Press reported. The two men pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, the newspaper reported. Sentenced: 20-year-old Alexander Lee Clausen, left, received a sentence of slightly over six years in prison, and 19-year-old Cole Alexander Matenaer, right, received a sentence of one year in jail and 15 years' probation . Honor student: 17-year-old Tara Fitzgerald took a synthetic drug during a January 2014 sleepover, but reportedly thought it was LSD . The hearings for defendants Sydney Claire Johnson, Allistair Curtis Berg and Brian Phillip Norlander - all 18 - will take place later this year, according to The Pioneer Press. Fitzgerald died after she was discovered unresponsive on January 11, 2014, the newspaper reported. Though police were informed by the 17-year-old's friends she thought she took LSD, the drug was actually the synthetic 25i-NBOMe, The Pioneer Press reported. Citing a criminal complaint, the newspaper reported Claussen first had the drug before it was given to Matenaer - then the drug was sold to the other three defendants before Fitzgerald purchased it. Last May, The Star Tribune reported that Fitzgerald was an avid reader and honor student, as well as an Anglophile and Harry Potter fan - and  asked her parents' permission to let a friend sleep over after doing well on the ACT exam. Her parents told the newspaper they checked her digital communications, warned against drugs and made sure she didn't go on dates with boys. The female friend took the drug with Fitzgerald during the sleepover, The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Missed: Tara Fitzgerald was an avid reader and honor student, as well as an Anglophile and Harry Potter fan - and asked her parents' permission to let a friend sleep over after doing well on the ACT exam . According to the newspaper, the pal heard Fitzgerald making noises and in the morning contacted her mother, who dialed both 911 and the Fitzgeralds - but Tara's parents did not return home in time to her. Father Thomas Fitzgerald said in court his daughter was downstairs with the friend as he and he wife were  sleeping,The Woodbury Bulletin reported. He reportedly said that the friend witnessed Tara's overdose and contacted a pal, and fearing repercussions, did not inform him of what was happening. 'How would you like to live with this knowledge if this had happened to your child at your house while you slept?' Thomas Fitzgerald said, per The Woodbury Bulletin. 'Hold drug dealers accountable for my Tara’s and other people’s sons’ and daughters’ murders,'; he also reportedly told the judge. 'These criminals should be held responsible and punished appropriately if they sell a drug that kills someone.' According to the newspaper, Matenar cried as Fitzgerald spoke, though Claussen 'sat, eyes fixed straight ahead from his seat at the defense table.' Claussen said on Friday 'I just want to say how sorry I am to everyone involved in this situation,' and 'If I could take away the pain, I would,' per The Woodbury Bulletin. Meanwhile, Matenaer reportedly said 'Words will never be able to express [the remorse.]'
Two men received sentences on Friday in a Minnesota courtroom one year after 17-year-old Tara Fitzgerald's fatal synthetic drug overdose. Alexander Lee Clausen received a sentence of slightly over six years in prison, and Cole Alexander Matenaer received a sentence of one in jail and 15 years' probation . Honor The Pioneer Press. Fitzgerald died after she was discovered unresponsive on January 11, 2014, the Fitzgerald was an avid reader and honor student, and  asked her parents' permission to let a friend sleep over after doing well on the ACT parents' permission to let a friend sleep over