Courtney Marie Olson Monson, a 30-year-old White female, died on April 22, 2016, in a tragic murder-suicide in her Ramsey, Minnesota home. The incident unfolded when dispatchers received a 911 call where screaming and crying could be heard in the background. When police arrived at the Azurite Street Northwest residence, they discovered Courtney and her 41-year-old husband, Bryce Monson, deceased from gunshot wounds.
Investigations revealed a violent confrontation had occurred within the
home. Courtney had sought safety in the basement with three of her four young children. It was there that Bryce shot her multiple times with a semiautomatic handgun before taking his own life. The couple's four children, who ranged in age from 2 to 12, were not physically harmed and are now in the care of family members.
The suspect in Courtney's death was identified as her husband, Bryce Monson. Since he died by suicide at the scene, no arrests were made. Reports indicate that the couple had a strained relationship, with some friends aware of emotional abuse. Friends also stated that Courtney had been seeking counseling and looking for a job to help her leave the marriage. Court records show that in 2003, a petition was filed to have Bryce committed for chemical dependency and mental illness, though it was dismissed the following year after he completed a program. He also had prior convictions for fleeing a police officer, a DWI, and driving with an open bottle.
Courtney was remembered as a devoted mother who was actively involved in her children's lives and a dedicated volunteer in her community. She was a board member of the Anoka-Ramsey Athletic Association and a member of Hope Fellowship church. Her father, Tim Olson, described the immense fear she must have felt in her final moments and hailed his grandsons as heroes for pleading with their father not to harm them or the family dog, actions he believes saved their lives. Following the murder-suicide, the community held a candlelight vigil to honor Courtney's memory.
