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In a case that has drawn national headlines, a 28-year-old local man has been charged with killing a 77-year-old Grand Marais resident. The victim was killed with a shovel and a moose antler. He was suspected of stalking a young girl, the daughter of the attacker.
Levi W. Axtell, inebriated and covered in blood, turned himself into authorities after he had killed Lawrence (Larry) Scully at Scully’s home on March 8, 2023, in the late afternoon. According to the affidavit, after entering the law enforcement center Axtell fell to his knees and put his hands on his head, while stating he had murdered Scully with a shovel.
A deputy arrived at the crime scene shortly after Axtell’s confession. According to the criminal complaint, a deputy found Scully “obviously dead from the serious nature of his head wounds.”
The medical report cited the cause of death caused by “blunt force head injuries,” with wounds on Scully’s arms consistent with defensive wounds.
Axtell told authorities he believed Scully was stalking his young daughter at a day care near Scully’s residence.
In 2018 Levi filed an order of protection against Scully, alleging Scully of stalking his then two-year-old daughter at a nearby daycare that was granted but dropped several weeks later. No reason was given for removing the restraining order.
In 1979 Scully was convicted of molesting a 6-year-old girl in Kanabec County and he spent several years in prison before moving to live with his late mother in Grand Marais in 1982.
Levi told authorities that he had seen Scully park his car near the locations where children were playing, and he believed Scully would re-offend.
When asked about call-ins to the Sheriff ’s office regarding Larry Scully, Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen responded, “Our records for Larry go back to 1999 And there are a total of 154 calls for service with his name attached. Not all of those calls are criminal, they include civil calls, matters of record, and miscellaneous calls.” A 911 call came into Cook County Law Enforcement Dispatch shortly before 5 p.m. on March 8, from a person who witnessed someone pulling into Scully’s driveway in a minvan, smash a vehicle and then run into the house. The caller heard screaming coming from the Scully residence, and while talking to dispatch, the caller saw the man who entered leave and drive to the police station, about three blocks away.
Levi told authorities he used a shovel he took off of Scully’s porch, striking Scully 15 to 20 times before “finishing him off” with several more blows from a large moose antler.
Following an arraignment hearing via Zoom on the day he was arrested, bail was set at one million dollars.
During the arraignment hearing Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken argued for the large bail amount, telling Judge Michael Cuzzo, “This was a brutal attack without provocation on an elderly man.” Axtell’s attorney Dennis Shaw responded that his client had no serious record of criminal history and posed little flight risk because of his lifelong ties to the area. Cuzzo said that due to the serious nature of the crime, that alone presented a flight risk, and he agreed with Hicken’s recommendation.
In 2018 Levi pled guilty to vandalizing a pastor’s car in Hovland. He was sentenced to three years probation and the charges were dropped.
Scully ran for Mayor of Grand Marais in 2014. He received 42 votes. Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux won that year with 345 votes.
On Friday, March 10, Levi was charged with the crime of Second-Degree Murder (intentional) of Lawrence Scully by the Cook County Attorney’s Office.
Levi will remain in custody until his next court appearance on April 10.
The case is being investigated by the Cook County Sherriff ’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
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