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Eric Jordahl Charged In Brutal Killing Of His Mother, Big Lake City Council Member Rosalie Johnson

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 20-year-old Big Lake man faces murder charges in connection to the beating and stabbing death of his mother.

According to charges filed in Sherburn County, Eric Jordahl faces two counts of second-degree murder in connection to the July 23 incident.

According to the criminal complaint, a man called for assistance shortly after 9 a.m., reporting that his son said he killed his mother. The incident took place on the 1800 block of Golf Street in Big Lake.

When officers arrived on scene, they located the son, identified as Jordahl, and saw that he was covered in blood. Officers found the body of the victim, 62-year-old Rosalie Johnson, in a lower level basement bedroom. Police said she had obvious facial trauma.

Johnson was appointed in 2019 to be a member of the Big Lake City Council. She was set to fill the seat until November of 2020.

rosalie johnson big lake homicide victim
Rosalie Johnson (credit: The City of Big Lake)

The complaint said Jordahl waived his Miranda rights and gave a statement. He allegedly admitted to going into his mother's bedroom at night. When she told him to go back to sleep, he punched her repeatedly. He then left, went upstairs, retrieved a butcher knife and went back to her room. He said he then stabbed her multiple times.

Jordahl's father later called police when he returned home from work.

The medical examiner ruled the death homicide and determined Johnson suffered both sharp and blunt force trauma to her head and body. The medical examiner said they needed the victim's dental records in order to positively identify her.

If convicted, Jordahl could face up to 40 years in prison per murder charge.

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