Joyce Ann Engelbrecht, aged 67, was tragically shot on June 16, 2018, in Saint James, Minnesota. The incident occurred following a heated argument with her husband, Scott Francis Engelbrecht, aged 59, who had forgotten their wedding anniversary. According to the criminal complaint, Scott Engelbrecht shot Joyce in the forehead with a. 22-caliber rifle. The altercation escalated when Joyce's daughter from a previous marriage, Rachel Elaine Linder, aged 43, intervened.
Scott then turned the gun on Rachel, shooting her three times, including once in the head at close range.
The shootings were reported by Rachel's son, Dillion Paul Mathias, aged 20, who called 911 after hearing the commotion. He recounted hearing his mother yell, 'You shot her, you !' before witnessing his grandfather holding the rifle. Despite attempting to use a stun gun on Scott, Dillion was unsuccessful and subsequently hid in a bathroom to call for help.
Joyce Ann Engelbrecht was found inside the residence with a gunshot wound to the head. She was initially conscious and taken to the St. James hospital before being flown to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, where she was pronounced dead the following day. Rachel Elaine Linder was found dead on the front steps of a neighboring house with gunshot wounds to her back, left forearm, and head.
Scott Francis Engelbrecht was arrested at the scene without incident. He was found outside the residence with the. 22-caliber rifle and reportedly admitted to the shootings, telling the arresting officer, 'I shot her' or 'I did it.' He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of felony assault with a dangerous weapon. Scott Engelbrecht was held in the Watonwan County Jail as the investigation, assisted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Watonwan County Sheriff's Office, and Madelia Police Department, continued.
