Court filing: Mentally ill son killed mother, brother and himself in Apple Valley home

The older of two sons, described by those who knew him as mentally ill, was the person who shot his mother, brother and then himself in a murder-suicide this past weekend in an Apple Valley home, according to a newly filed court document.

A family member identified the three found dead shortly after noon Saturday in the home in the 13600 block of Upper Elkwood Court as Janice L. Petrovich, 60, and sons Alexander J. Petrovich, 27, and Jonathan "Jack" J. Petrovich, 23.

Alexander Petrovich not only killed his mother and brother, he also fatally shot the family's two dogs, according to a search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court. The warrant sought permission to search a Golden Valley home where the brothers' late father lived and where Alexander Petrovich "spent considerable amounts of time."

The sons' father and their mother's ex-husband, James Petrovich, who died in July at age 62, allowed Alexander Petrovich to visit there often while doing repairs.

The filing also revealed that the person who discovered the bodies and called 911, along with a family member and others in the Apple Valley neighborhood all described Alexander Petrovich as "an undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenic who was subject to fits of rage and confrontational behavior."

Court records in Minnesota show a minimal criminal history for Alexander Petrovich including convictions in Dakota County for loose dogs and misdemeanor property damage.

According to the affidavit: Agents and others from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) located in the home "evidence supporting a murder/suicide scenario" as well as multiple guns, laptop computers and cellphones.

The BCA also wants to search the Golden Valley home in the 8200 block of Westbend Road for, among other things: files for any electronic devices, guns and other weapons, ammunition, clothing, and fingerprints and other bodily forensic evidence.

Golden Valley police have handled at least two calls for service at the home since early last year, one for an unspecified issue with utility service and another "regarding an issue with [Alexander Petrovich's] dogs."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482