A Minnesota father was sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday for the brutal murder of a boyfriend who was allegedly abusing his daughter, after telling a witness he’d already dug the man’s grave.
Michael Lee Laflex, 46, was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree murder in the April shooting death of Bryce Brogle, according to court records reviewed by Fox News Digital. In addition to the sentence, Crow Wing County District Court Judge Charles D. Halverson also ordered him to pay $14,596.08 in restitution and court costs.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Law & Crime, Laflex’s daughter reported her boyfriend missing to the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 28, 2022. The boyfriend was last seen with his father at a storage unit Laflex had rented two days earlier.
When questioned by investigators, Laflex initially claimed Brogle had been arrested by “unknown police” and had two cellphones confiscated, the complaint states. He then changed his story and said he had dumped the two cellphones at a gas station in Brainerd. The two cellphones were eventually recovered by police.
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Michael Laflex. (Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office)
The landlord of the home Brogle and Laflex’s daughter were renting contacted investigators and said Laflex had called to ask if Brogle had ever hurt her daughter.
“The landlord, the landlord [Laflex’s daughter] “Laflex caused bruising to both of his eyes,” the complaint states. “He then stated that he intended to kill Mr. Brogle and that he had already dug the hole.”
Another witness provided police with information provided by a member of Laflex’s family, who stated in a sworn statement that Laflex shot and killed Brogle at a warehouse in the Ossipee area on Oct. 26, 2022.
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Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office. (Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office)
“Details included, but were not limited to, that Michael (Laflex) believed Brogle had been abusing his daughter,” the statement read. In accordance with the law and criminal laws. “Laflex is said to have used bleach to clean the room. Laflex further told the family he had disposed of the body and that Brogle would not be found because he had been buried. It is also alleged that a sled-like device was used to move Brogle’s body.”
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Michael Laflex was sentenced Monday to life in prison without parole at the Crow Wing County Justice Center. (Google Maps)
According to police documents, when they executed a search warrant for the warehouse, they found bloodstains on the concrete floor where someone had attempted to clean them up with bleach. Marks on the ground were “consistent with an object the width of a sled being dragged across the floor,” according to the lawsuit.
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During a foot search on Oct. 30, 2022, authorities identified a site believed to be Brogle’s grave, according to the complaint.
“Upon exhumation of the scene, a body was discovered with an apparent gunshot wound to the back of the head which was transported to the Ramsey County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy,” the lawsuit states. “The autopsy determined the cause of death was a long-range gunshot wound to the back of the head. The body was identified as that of Bryce Brogle.”
