Terry John DeGroot, a 55-year-old Caucasian male, passed away on August 27, 2020, in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. His death, initially described as sudden in his obituary, was the result of a fatal shooting. The tragic event unfolded on a farm in the Cannon Falls area where Terry and his son had been hired to do some work. An argument reportedly broke out between father and son after a skid loader they were using became stuck in a creek.
Following the dispute, Terry's son, Cole DeGroot, then
22 years old, rode his bike to the family's property to retrieve a gun. He then returned to the farm and shot his father while he was sitting in the cab of the skid loader. After the shooting, it was Cole DeGroot who contacted authorities by calling 911 to report the incident. When Goodhue County Deputies arrived at the scene, Cole surrendered to them without resistance.
Cole DeGroot was subsequently arrested and faced multiple charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and assault. In a plea deal, he admitted to one count of second-degree murder, which led to the dismissal of the other charges. In November 2021, Cole DeGroot was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of his father. At the time of his sentencing, he was given credit for the 438 days he had already served in jail since his arrest.
