Estranged Wife of Minnesota DOC Commissioner Accused of Attempting to Murder Their Son
Julie L. Myhre-Schnell has been charged with attempted first-degree murder for allegedly trying to kill her vulnerable adult son. 🌐 #News #StPaulMN #Minnesota #Crime
ST. PAUL, MN – The estranged wife of Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell has been arrested and charged with attempted murder. The charges stem from an alleged attempt to kill their adult son, a vulnerable adult, last year.
Julie L. Myhre-Schnell, 64, of St. Paul, faces one count of attempted first-degree murder, according to Ramsey County prosecutors. The charge relates to an incident that allegedly occurred on December 3, 2023.
According to the criminal complaint, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office began investigating in June after learning that Myhre-Schnell had confessed to several people that she had tried to kill her son by putting anxiety medication in his feeding bag. She allegedly admitted she hoped the medication would cause him to “sleep forever.”
Her son, who is 33 years old, has spina bifida as well as other medical conditions. He requires 24-hour care, according to reports.
During an interview with an investigator, Myhre-Schnell allegedly confessed to attempting to kill her son by crushing Lorazepam pills and mixing them with water. She then reportedly poured the mixture into her son’s feeding bag at the Vadnais Heights group home where he resides, before leaving for the night.
The criminal complaint quotes Myhre-Schnell as saying, “The whole time, I knew I was gonna try to do this.” She reportedly expressed disbelief during the attempt, questioning herself repeatedly.
When asked how she felt about her son surviving, Myhre-Schnell allegedly expressed concern about being discovered through toxicology tests and indicated that she fully expected to go to jail. She also reportedly stated that she “completely regretted” her son survived the attempt.
After the incident, the victim was hospitalized on December 4, showing symptoms such as altered mental status, low responsiveness, and low blood pressure. While no toxicology tests were conducted, the victim was diagnosed with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.
The investigation included consulting with a doctor who explained that symptoms of a Lorazepam overdose could include drowsiness and respiratory depression.
Authorities also gathered evidence from text messages Myhre-Schnell allegedly sent to family members, in which she admitted to the attempted murder. On August 6, she reportedly sent a text confession to her son, who responded that he was uncertain about keeping her contact information.
The victim told investigators that the confession was overwhelming and difficult to process.
Reports indicate that Paul Schnell and Myhre-Schnell separated in May 2023, and their divorce is ongoing. Schnell, who has served as the DOC commissioner since 2019, reported the attempted murder to authorities in June after being informed by Myhre-Schnell’s sister. He also applied for an order of protection for their son.
If convicted, Myhre-Schnell could face up to 20 years in prison for the charge of first-degree attempted murder.
Reminder: All parties are considered innocent before proven guilty. Mugshot photo of Julie Louise Myhre-Schnell courtesy Ramsey County Jail.
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