Left inset: Jacob John Audie (Dakota County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Michael Maurice Schille (Epilogg). Background: The apartment complex where Jacob John Audie is alleged to have killed Michael Maurice Schille (KARE/YouTube).
A Minnesota man faces accusations of murdering his older roommate, whom he was responsible for caring for, using the victim’s own firearm, authorities disclosed.
Jacob John Audie, aged 36, was indicted by a Dakota County grand jury on charges of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree intentional murder related to the killing of 72-year-old Michael Maurice Schille. This announcement came from Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena, with Audie initially charged only with second-degree murder in April after Schille’s body was discovered.
The incident occurred on April 11 at approximately 8:50 p.m., when the South St. Paul Police Department received a call from a man admitting to shooting his roommate in their apartment, who was later identified as Audie, according to law enforcement, and he reportedly did not hesitate to detail his actions.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Schille deceased on a couch in his bedroom, suffering from a gunshot wound to the left side of his face, and with “a television remote in his hand,” according to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime. Medics confirmed his death at the scene.
Authorities noted the presence of an AR-style rifle’s magazine on a nearby table, the rifle itself in the living room, and a single bullet on the couch. Audie admitted to executing these actions and subsequently called 911 to report the events.
The suspect was detained in the apartment building’s parking lot, the South St. Paul Police Department added in its news release. “During the investigation, Audie told officers he was the victim’s caretaker and they lived together for the past year or two. He said he shot Schille using the victim’s rifle.”
Schille’s family was left shocked by his death, with one of his daughters sharing that while he suffered from health problems and thus had a caregiver, “there was no tension” in the days leading up to his death.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Jessica Comer said, per Twin Cities NBC affiliate KARE. Authorities have not released what they believe Audie’s motive was.
Comer said her dad was a veteran, and an obituary for the man said he “was a master at finding the silver lining in any situation and had an utterly contagious laugh.”
“Michael lost his life at the hands of someone he trusted,” the obit added.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy and determined that Schille’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the face and the manner of death was a homicide.
If he is convicted of the premeditated first-degree charge, Audie faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. His next court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
