A father from Minnesota confessed to murdering a 77-year-old convicted sex offender whom he believed had previously stalked his young daughter. The father allegedly used a moose antler to “finish off” the victim after the attack.
With a moose antler and a shovel, the father killed the man, accusing him of stalking his daughter.
When Levi Axtell, 27, walked into the sheriff’s office to confess to the murder of Lawrence Scully, he was covered in blood, his hands clutching his head in anguish.
Axtell, originally from Cook County, Minnesota, had long suspected Scully of parking his car in areas frequented by minors.
In 2018, Axtell sought a protection order against the elderly man, which was initially granted but later revoked.
Court documents also reveal that Scully had been admitted to a mental health facility in 2020, only to be released later with a prescription for anti-psychotic medication.
According to a criminal charge filed on Friday, Axtell allegedly attacked Scully multiple times inside his apartment using a shovel before ultimately killing him with a large moose antler. Additionally, Axtell is believed to have smashed the window of Scully’s car at some point.
The complaint states that Axtell entered Scully’s residence around 4:45 p.m., armed with a shovel he had taken from the victim’s porch. He then reportedly struck Scully 15 to 20 times during the assault.
According to the lawsuit, Axtell stated that he used a large moose antler to carry out the attack.
“The defendant claimed he had known (Scully) for a long time and believed him to have previously sexually offended against children,” the lawsuit alleges.
“He also mentioned observing (Scully) parked in his vehicle at locations where children were present and believed he would re-offend,” the document continues.
Around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, a Cook County sheriff’s officer entered the building and found Scully, who had sustained “major head trauma” and was “surrounded by blood,” with the officer noting that he was “obviously dead.”
As Axtell confessed to the murder, he entered the police station covered in blood, his hands gripping his head in distress.
According to a medical examiner, Scully had arm wounds consistent with self-defense.
A neighbor witnessed a van pull up to Scully’s house, smash a car, and then speed away. Both the neighbor and another individual called 911 to report the incident.
The witness also mentioned hearing screams during the commotion.
Scully, who was 33 at the time, had previously been imprisoned in Minnesota for sexually assaulting a six-year-old child.
He had pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to a term of up to five years in Minnesota’s Bayport State Prison.
He remained incarcerated until December 31, 1981, when he filed a petition for post-conviction relief.
According to a hearing document, the state had failed to provide any evidence suggesting he posed a risk to the public.
In 2014, he filed a petition to run for mayor of Grand Marais, Minnesota.
However, by 2018, he faced renewed allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors.
That same year, Axtell sought a restraining order, alleging that his child was being followed.
“They do not know each other,” he wrote in the petition.
“The respondent waits for the victim to go on walks from daycare and tries to talk to her. … He has been there multiple times, stalking children in his van.”
“I’ve seen him parked right next to the school. … He is a convicted pedophile, and his stalking and attempts to groom my daughter are completely unacceptable and must be stopped.”
Judge Michael Cuzzo temporarily approved the request, issuing an order that prohibited Scully from coming within six blocks of Axtell’s home.
However, Cuzzo later clarified that “the allegations are not proven true,” leading to the denial of a permanent order.
Axtell’s record showed only one prior arrest, for illegal property damage.
Sheriff Pat Eliasen confirmed that Scully had been the subject of allegations, but an investigation “didn’t uncover anything.”
On Saturday, a woman believed to be Axtell’s sister mentioned that the family was preparing to launch an online fundraising campaign to help with the investigation, noting they had received significant support from the community.
“I am overwhelmed by the amount of support I am seeing online right now in light of Wednesday’s tragedy,” Katrina Axtell shared on Facebook.
“When a community member is in crisis, we often feel unsure of how to help. When words don’t seem enough, it can be easy to remain silent out of respect for the family’s privacy.”
“I want to encourage you to share your words in support of Levi and our family.”
She continued, “My hope is that both families involved, as well as the Cook County community, can come together to support each other, listen to each other, and heal together.”
Minnesota court documents reveal that Scully was committed to a mental hospital in July 2020 but was released the following year.
In June 2021, the court approved the use of antipsychotic medications for him.
