Minnesota – In a horrific incident in Minnesota, a 72-year-old man, identified as M. Schille, was shot and killed by the very person entrusted to care for him, a 36-year-old man, identified as J. Audie. Audie has now been indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree intentional murder in the death of Schille, a man he lived with for over a year and claimed to be “caring for.”
Originally arrested and charged in April with second-degree murder, Audie now faces the possibility of life in prison without the chance of parole following the grand jury indictment. The charges come after an April 11 incident in which Audie reportedly called 911 and confessed to shooting the elderly man in the face with the victim’s own rifle. Authorities responded to the apartment at approximately 8:50 p.m. on April 11, 2025, after Audie himself dialed emergency services. When officers from the police department arrived, they found Schille unresponsive, slumped on a couch in his bedroom with a gunshot wound to the left side of his face. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
According to the criminal complaint, Schille was in his bedroom watching TV at the time of the incident. Near his body, police located a single carbine casing on the couch, a rifle magazine on the table, and a rifle resting in the living room. The weapon used in the killing was later confirmed to belong to Schille. Audie was found outside the apartment complex and was arrested without incident in the parking lot. During questioning, he told police that he had been living under Schille’s roof and was his caretaker for over a year. He also admitted to using Schille’s own rifle to shoot him.
The motive behind the killing remains unclear. Schille’s family has expressed confusion and heartbreak over the sudden and violent nature of his death. His daughter told local news sources that while her father had health issues requiring caregiving, there had been “no tension” or signs of conflict in the days before the shooting. The medical examiner’s office conducted an autopsy and officially ruled Schille’s death a homicide caused by a single gunshot wound to the face.
In a statement following the indictment, prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of the charges. The first-degree premeditated murder charge, if proven, carries a mandatory life sentence without parole — the most severe penalty under Minnesota law. Audie remains in custody at the county jail. His next court hearing is scheduled for September 16 at 1:30 p.m.
Schille was remembered by family and friends as a gentle and optimistic soul. According to his obituary, he was a U.S. military veteran. His loved ones said he placed his trust in someone he believed would care for him — a decision that ended in betrayal and tragedy. As the case progresses through the courts, the community and Schille’s family continue to search for answers to a senseless act that left a vulnerable man dead and raised painful questions about trust, responsibility, and the unseen dangers behind closed doors.
