Cloquet Police: Meth in Super 8 Motel Shooter; Did Not Know Victims
At one time told co-worker he was dealing with "monsters."
Cloquet, Minn. — In what they describe as their “final” update Monday, the Cloquet Police Department said that the suspect behind the fatal shooting at the Super 8 Motel on January 9 had meth in his system at the time of the incident and was unknown to the victims.
The two victims of the shooting were 22-year-old Shellby Trettel of Cloquet and 35-year-old Patrick Jeffrey Roers of Deer River. The shooter was identified as Nicholas Elliot Lenius, 32, of Ramsey, Minnesota. He was found dead outside, on hotel property, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Cloquet Police Dept. Chief Derek Randall states in a press release that the investigation consisted of interviews, cell phone data analysis, and a review of the toxicology reports provided by the medical examiner. The release goes on to say that after examining four of the suspect’s electronic devices, no evidence or information was uncovered indicating that the suspect had any prior knowledge of or communication with either of the victims involved in the incident. The toxicology report from the medical examiner revealed the presence of methamphetamine in the suspect’s blood, suggesting possible impairment at the time of the incident, according to the CPD’s Chief Randall. During the interviews, officers discovered that the suspect had contacted a coworker and referenced dealing with “monsters.” Based on the information gathered, police say that the victims were unknown to the suspect and that the suspect may have been experiencing a mental health episode and potentially under the influence of drugs. The Cloquet Police Department will send the final investigative reports to the Carlton County Attorney’s Office for review.
