Attorney General’s Office and Cottonwood County Attorney’s Office secure guilty pleas for Second-Degree Murder and First-Degree Burglary

Jamie Lee Voelker pleads guilty to two offenses following July 23, 2025, shooting death and subsequent break-in of neighbor’s residence

July 31, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Yesterday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office secured guilty pleas from Jamie Lee Voelker, for second-degree murder and first-degree burglary following a July 23, 2025, shooting death and subsequent break-in of a neighbor’s residence in Windom, Minnesota.  Sentencing is scheduled to occur on September 30, 2026.

On July 23, 2025, Voelker used drugs and then shot his mother several times with a .22 caliber handgun.  The victim subsequently died from her injuries.  After the shooting, Voelker broke into a neighbor’s residence and damaged the bathroom before he was apprehended by law enforcement.  Voelker later claimed no memory of committing the offenses due to his drug use.

Attorney General Ellison’s office prosecuted Voelker upon a referral from Cottonwood County Attorney Nick Anderson under Minnesota Statutes section 8.01, which provides, “Upon request of the county attorney, the attorney general shall appear in court in such criminal cases as the attorney general deems proper.” The authority vested in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office is primarily civil.  Aside from referrals submitted under section 8.01 and Medicaid fraud, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office does not have prosecuting authority over most criminal acts. That authority generally rests with city and county attorneys.

“Voelker’s crimes shock the conscience, and my heart breaks for the victim’s friends and loved ones,” said Attorney General Ellison. “The guilty pleas we secured will ensure Voelker faces justice for his actions. I have no tolerance for anyone who would harm others, and I will continue to partner with law enforcement to hold such offenders accountable.”

Attorney General Ellison thanks the Windom Police Department, Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, who assisted in the investigation and successful prosecution of this crime.