BRAINERD, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — A 35-year-old man from Brainerd, Minnesota, has been charged with multiple crimes including murder, kidnapping, and arson after a crime spree that prompted an AMBER Alert.
According to court documents, Chad Aanerud allegedly abducted a pregnant woman and her four children at gunpoint on Halloween night. He then sexually assaulted the woman and threatened to shoot her children before taking guns from another home on the same property and dousing it in gasoline.
Aanerud is accused of shooting 62-year-old Lyle Maske, who died at the scene, after which he forced the woman into a van with threats of violence. The AMBER Alert was issued for Aanerud and his alleged victims, but he was found and arrested near Little Falls on Friday morning.
Aanerud faces two counts of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, five counts of kidnapping, one count of first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree assault, and one count of theft. He remains in custody while awaiting trial.
This story is reported by Chris Harper for trfnews.i234.me