WINONA, MN – A Rochester man, Scott A. Jenkins, 59, suspected of fatally shooting his sister, Michelle Jenkins, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, died by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound during a traffic stop on Friday night, September 6, in Winona, Minnesota.
Authorities in Wisconsin discovered Michelle Jenkins’ body on August 29 during a welfare check at her residence. Investigators quickly identified her brother, Scott Jenkins, as the primary suspect after learning that he had driven to her home the day of the murder. Despite a search warrant executed at his Rochester residence, Scott Jenkins remained at large.
After collaborating with multiple law enforcement agencies across southeast Minnesota, authorities located Jenkins driving on Interstate 90 near Highway 43. Winona Police initiated a traffic stop around 8 p.m., with assistance from other regional agencies.
Officers instructed Jenkins to exit the vehicle, but upon approaching the car, they found him dead in the driver’s seat from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A handgun was recovered from the vehicle, and no other passengers were present. The investigation remains ongoing.
The Eau Claire Police Department expressed its condolences in a statement, saying, “We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and all those affected by this senseless act.”
The case involved multiple agencies, including the Rochester Police Department, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Winona Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.