In the autumn of 1981, a chilling event shattered the peace of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, forever altering the community and the lives of those involved. On October 29, 1981, Itasca County Deputy Sheriff Robert R. Lawson, a 51-year-old White male, was tragically killed in the line of duty. His death was not the result of a random act of violence, but a calculated execution during a tense standoff.
The incident began to unfold when Audie Lynn Fox, a man with a criminal history, traveled to Pengilly, Minnesota, near Grand Rapids, with the intent of seeing his children. He went to his father's home and, when his efforts to have his children brought to him were not immediately successful, he forced his father at gunpoint to retrieve them. He returned with only one of his sons.
Early the next morning, as tensions escalated and numerous phone calls were made to and from the residence, Deputy Lawson responded to the scene. He found himself in a volatile and dangerous situation, attempting to negotiate with an increasingly desperate Fox. Lawson’s primary concern was the safety of the young child inside. Fox, however, was focused on his own demands.
Inside the home, Fox ordered Deputy Lawson to lie on the floor, a command Lawson initially refused until Fox cocked his revolver. Fox demanded his estranged wife's phone number, which Lawson did not have. Fox then chillingly counted to three before fatally shooting Deputy Lawson in the head. In the aftermath of the shooting, a standoff ensued that lasted for 18 hours before Fox was finally apprehended.
Audie Lynn Fox was arrested and subsequently indicted on two counts of first-degree murder. He was tried and found guilty by a district court jury for the intentional killing of a peace officer engaged in the performance of his official duties. For his crime, Fox was sentenced to life in prison.
