Jury convicts Brainerd man who fatally shot daughter’s boyfriend, allegedly over suspected abuse

Jurors have convicted a Brainerd man for fatally shooting his daughter’s boyfriend and burying the body, allegedly because he suspected she was in a physically abusive relationship.

Michael LaFlex, 46, was found guilty Wednesday afternoon in Crow Wing County District Court of first- and second-degree murder in connection with the October 2022 death of Bryce Brogle, 23, who had been missing briefly after he left home in Center Township, a few miles northeast of Brainerd.

LaFlex remains jailed without bond ahead of sentencing, which is scheduled for June 10. The conviction on the higher count requires that he be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

According to the criminal complaint:

LaFlex’s daughter told the sheriff’s office on Oct. 28, 2022, that she had not seen Brogle for the previous two days, when he left for a storage unit rented by LaFlex.

Through an informant and a LaFlex family member, investigators learned that LaFlex believed Brogle was abusing his daughter, and LaFlex shot Brogle while the two were at the storage unit on the day he was reported missing.

The landlord for the couple called the sheriff’s office and reported seeing the daughter with two black eyes. The landlord also disclosed being contacted by LaFlex about whether Brogle hurt his daughter. LaFlex also told the landlord that “he was going to kill Brogle and already had the hole dug,” the complaint read.

Investigators were told LaFlex used a sled to move the body and then cleaned the storage unit of blood using bleach before burying Brogle.

On Oct. 29, 2022, law enforcement searched the storage unit and saw evidence of blood, a bottle of bleach and marks on the floor indicating something had been dragged. A search of public land in the county came upon a makeshift grave. Brogle’s body was recovered, and it had an apparent gunshot wound to the back of the head.