Minn. man accused of fatally beating sex offender with moose antler

GRAND MARAIS, Minn. (TCD) -- A 28-year-old man is accused of fatally beating a 77-year-old sex offender to prevent him from re-offending.

On Wednesday, March 8, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said Levi Axtell went into Lawrence Scully’s home on East 5th Street, where he allegedly "assaulted him with a shovel."

According to KARE-TV, Axtell used the shovel to strike Scully 15 to 20 times before he "finished him off" with a moose antler. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said Scully died from head wounds sustained in the attack.

A blood-covered Axtell reportedly turned himself in to the Sheriff’s Office, and he "put his hands on his head and said that he had murdered Scully with a shovel."

Deputies arrested Scully, and the Cook County Attorney’s Office charged him with second-degree murder. He remains held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court on April 10.

A complaint obtained by KARE alleged that Axtell told authorities he knew the victim "and believed him to have sexually offended against children in the past."

The news source went on to say Axtell saw Scully "parked in a vehicle at locations where children were present and believed he would re-offend."

Additionally, Axtell allegedly believed Scully parked his van near a day care center and stalked his 22-month-old daughter in 2018, as well as other children.

Axtell obtained an order of protection against Scully, but it was reportedly dismissed weeks later.

In 1979, Scully was convicted of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old child, and he was released from prison in 1982.

However, Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen told KARE the recent allegations against Scully were unsubstantiated.

MORE:

• Cook County Homicide Update — Cook County Sheriff’s Office
• Adult Male Found Deceased Following Head Trauma, Incident Under Investigation — Cook County Sheriff’s Office
• Sheriff: Grand Marais man kills sex offender using antler — KARE