Levi Axtell, a 27-year-old Minnesota father, faced a grim reality on March 8 when he walked into a police station covered in blood and confessed to a grisly murder.
Axtell told law enforcement that he had used a shovel and a moose antler to kill 77-year-old Lawrence V. Scully, a convicted sex offender living in Grand Marias. Witnesses report having seen a man “smash” a car in Scully’s drive and run into his home prior to hearing noises of screaming.
The tragedy began two years ago when Axtell requested an order of protection against Scully, citing claims that he was “stalking” and “attempting to groom” Axtell’s toddler daughter at her day care. The court granted the request initially only to dismiss it weeks later after the 5 year-old girl reportedly received threatening messages from Scully. Axtell was so incensed by the failure of the justice system that he posted a message on Facebook: “Only cure for pedophiles? A bullet”.
Axtell is currently being held at the Cook County jail on a second-degree murder charge, with his bond set for one million dollars. The sheriff of Cook County, Pat Eliasen, told the Associated Press that Scully didn’t present any credible threats, and that the past allegations against him were mainly “regarding harassment”. Axtell will appear in court again on April 10.
The case of Levi Axtell is a horrific tragedy that brings to light the lengths a desperate father will go to in order to protect his family from harm. It also highlights the justice system’s failure to take cases of sexual assault and harassment seriously, leaving victims powerless to seek help and justice.
Axtell’s guilt and the finality of the particular crime should not be diminished but it is important that we recognize the issues that led him to commit the heinous act.