A Minnesota man who believed his daughter was once watched by a convicted sex offender is accused of his murder in Grand Marais.
In a news release, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said that Levi William Axtell, whom police said is 28, was charged Friday with second-degree intentional murder by the Cook County Attorney’s Office, in connection with the death of 77-year-old Lawrence Scully.
In court records obtained by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, it was learned that just before 5 a.m. on Wednesday, investigators received a call that someone noticed a minivan pulling into Scully’s driveway and ran into the man’s house. Moments later, the caller said he heard screaming just before the van left.
Axtell arrived at the sheriff’s office shortly afterward covered in blood, according to court records obtained by the newspaper. He reportedly admitted to investigators that he killed Scully with a shovel.
A deputy was sent to Scully’s house and confirmed he was deceased with obvious signs of trauma to his head, WCCO reported.
Axtel told investigators that he grabbed the shovel from Scully’s deck, hit him somewhere between 15 to 20 times, and then hit him with a moose antler multiple times, according to court records obtained by the Star Tribune.
Axtell alleged that in 2018, his 22-month-old daughter was “stalked” by Scully, according to the newspaper. Scully allegedly used to sit in a van parked by Axtell’s daughter’s day care.
Axtell told investigators he wanted to prevent Scully from “potentially re-offending,” according to WCCO.
Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen confirmed to the Star Tribune that Scully was convicted in Kanabec County for sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl.
Scully was released from prison in 1982, according to Minnesota Department of Corrections records obtained by the newspaper. Scully then moved to the North Shore area.
Axtell’s bail was set at $1 million, according to The Associated Press. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 10.
If convicted, Axtell could face 40 years in prison, WCCO reported.
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