In a quiet community, the life of a 31-year-old Caucasian male named Jamie Wylie was cut short. His story took a dark turn after he was reported missing in December 2013, a disappearance that would leave his family in anguish for months. It wasn't until March 25, 2014, that a passerby made a grim discovery in a ditch behind a business east of St. Cloud, Minnesota. The body was soon identified as Jamie Wylie, and an autopsy would later confirm that he had died from gunshot wounds.
The news of his violent death sent ripples of shock and grief through his hometown of Foley.
The investigation into Wylie's death led authorities to two St. Cloud men, 26-year-old Travis McKinney and 25-year-old Joshua Smith, who were arrested in May 2014. A Benton County grand jury indicted McKinney on charges of first and second-degree murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and interfering with a dead body. Smith was indicted on charges of aiding and abetting first and second-degree murder. The criminal complaint detailed a brutal end for Wylie, alleging that McKinney had shot him twice with a shotgun. Smith was accused of driving the vehicle that carried Wylie, McKinney, and a witness.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Joshua Smith pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting intentional second-degree murder. In a turn of events, Smith claimed that he was the one who shot Wylie. Travis McKinney, who was initially believed to be the shooter, pleaded guilty to aiding an offender after the fact. He admitted to moving Wylie's body to the location where it was ultimately discovered. Both men were sentenced for their roles in the crime. Smith received a sentence of slightly less than 33 years in prison, while McKinney was sentenced to 18 years. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to a tragedy that began with a man's disappearance and ended with the conviction of those responsible for his murder.
