Taryn Lee Hohbein was a 16-year-old White / Caucasian girl from Bismarck, North Dakota, whose life was full of laughter and kindness. A student at Bismarck High School, Taryn had celebrated her birthday just two weeks before her death. Her family and friends remembered her for her silly dances, her caring nature, and her ability to put a smile on anyone’s face. She treasured her collection of hoodies, loved playing with animals, and enjoyed driving around listening to music.
Her mother described her as sweet, kind, loving, and filled with strength and courage. Both sides in the court case that followed her death agreed that Taryn was spirited, full of life, and a fierce friend.
On the night of June 25, 2023, that bright spirit was violently extinguished. At approximately 11:45 p.m., Bismarck police received numerous calls about shots fired at an apartment on Ohio Street. When officers arrived, they found Taryn inside with a gunshot wound to her head. She was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to her injuries and died on June 26. An expert would later testify that the fatal wound was inflicted at point-blank range and was not survivable.
The investigation quickly led to a suspect who was acquainted with Taryn. The following morning, police arrested 19-year-old Corbin Alexander Lampert of Bismarck. According to a witness, another person at the apartment had a handgun and removed the magazine to show it was not loaded. Lampert then allegedly grabbed the gun, pointed it at Taryn, and a shot was heard. The witness saw Lampert holding the gun before he dropped it and fled. Lampert was charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
During his trial, prosecutors argued that Lampert’s actions were deliberate and reckless, stating that he racked the gun, put it to Taryn’s face, and pulled the trigger. The defense countered that law enforcement made a rush to judgment and that the state’s case relied on the inconsistent testimony of intoxicated teenagers. Defense attorneys argued that another person at the scene was not fully investigated, creating reasonable doubt.
In April 2024, after about two hours of deliberation, a Burleigh County jury found Corbin Lampert guilty of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. At his sentencing hearing in August 2024, Taryn’s family gave emotional impact statements. "You took something from this family that I can’t get back ever," her father, Jesse Hohbein, told Lampert. "A chunk of my life is gone because of you." South Central District Judge Pam Nesvig, citing Lampert’s criminal history and his "inability to take responsibly," sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
