On November 4, 2025, at approximately 6:16 A.M., the Cross Lake Police Department was dispatched on the report of a theft of a motor vehicle at a residence on White Birch Lane located in the City of Cross Lake, Crow Wing County, State of Minnesota. Sgt. Marks and other officers responded to the scene and spoke with RGK (fully identified in police reports). RGK stated his father woke him up this morning after discovering his 2011 GMC pickup, MN plate HCM-542, was missing. The vehicle had been parked outside the residence with a set of spare keys for it in the truck bed toolbox.
RGK said he also had a 2008 Audi Motor vehicle, MN plate number JJR-056, parked outside the residence which appeared to have been tampered with. The headlights to the Audi motor vehicle were on and the keys were in the ignition. RGK said the keys were in the center console when he last exited the vehicle. RGK said both vehicles were unlocked. No one had permission to enter or drive either of his vehicles. The Cross Lake Police Department also located a 2005 Polaris sportsman 500HO, in the words near RGK's yard.
There was a leather band on the left side of the ATV. The ATV did not belong to RGK or his father. Sgt. Marks determined the ATV was registered to CER (fully identified in police reports). CER lives in fairly close proximity to RGK. CER lives on Wildwood Drive in the City of Cross Lake, Crow Wing County, State of Minnesota. Sgt. Marks spoke with CER who stated his 2005 Polaris ATV had been parked next to his garage. No one had permission to drive it. CER stated that when he left for work that morning he observed that a broken hockey stick was laying outside his detached garage.
The hockey stick had been in his garage. CER also observed a pack of archery arrows were laying in the driveway as well. They also had been in his detached garage. CER believed that someone had entered his detached garage without permission and then left the scene in his Polaris ATV. The detached garage had been unlocked. Sgt. Marks located foot prints where the ATV had been parked which he believed to have belonged to the suspect. On November 4, 2025, Sgt. Marks and Officer Haines located the 2011 GMC pickup, MN plate HCM-542, belonging to RGK parked in the woods near Whitebirch lane in the City of Cross Lake.
The vehicle was processed for possible DNA and finger print samples. A cowboy hat was found in the truck that did not belong to RGK. The head band of the cowboy hat was swabbed for DNA samples and came back a match to the DNA profile for Silas Williams Mercier, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter defendant. Sgt. Marks searched facebook profiles and believed the defendant was living with relatives at a residence on Wildwood Drive in the City of Cross Lake. The residence is approximately 80 yards away from where the stolen GMC pickup was recovered.
