Authorities are searching for a 62-year-old Edina man who allegedly injected his ailing mother with a lethal dose of fentanyl in an apartment they shared and where police seized a large quantity of marijuana, other illicit drugs and a handgun.
Charges: Edina man kills mom with fentanyl in home they shared and where he kept drugs, gun
Charges say Edina man injected ailing mom with a lethal dose of fentanyl.
June 28, 2021 at 9:04PM
Scott A. Henkel was charged Friday in Hennepin County District Court with third-degree murder, four felony drug counts and a weapons possession violation in connection with the death of 82-year-old Carol L. Henkel in November 2020.
A nationwide warrant has been issued for Henkel's arrest.
Police made two welfare checks at the home, one on Oct. 26 at the request of Hennepin County adult protection officials, and another at the request of one of her daughters two days before Carol Henkel died, court records disclosed. In both instances, the records continued, officers did not intervene.
According to the criminal complaint and numerous search warrant affidavits:
Police were called to the home in the 7600 block of Edinborough Way and located Carol Henkel dead in her bed about 1:35 p.m. on Nov. 7.
Scott Henkel told police that his mother had fallen several times recently and he last saw her about 2 a.m. that day, when he gave her an over-the-counter pain reliever.
He said he returned from a trip to the store, found that he could not awaken his mother and called 911.
On the day Carol Henkel died, the Medical Examiner's Office turned the body over to a funeral home after determining that "the death appeared to be natural," read a search warrant affidavit.
However, one of her daughters told the examiner's office that Scott Henkel was a street drug user and "possibly 'injected' [Carol] Henkel with heroin," the search warrant affidavit continued.
A subsequent autopsy by the examiner's office found "unexplained fentanyl" in her system, and ruled that to be the cause of death. Carol Henkel's medical history revealed no legitimate reason for her to be ingesting fentanyl, records show.
Police searched the residence and found nearly 24 pounds of marijuana, methamphetamine, psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, THC in multiple forms and THC delivery cartridges.
They also seized a .357-magnum handgun and two "speed loaders" with ammunition, along with a ledger that outlined numerous alleged drug transactions.
A search of a locker at a storage facility in Bloomington turned up more than 80 pounds of marijuana, THC wax, more THC cartridges and other illicit drugs.
Scott Henkel, described in court filings as a "roadie" who sets up musical equipment for bands, said he didn't know how his mother could have ingested fentanyl. He admitted possessing the drugs and said he shares them with friends.
Henkel's criminal history in Minnesota includes three drug-related convictions, with the most recent coming in 2008 for a felony-level offense.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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