On May 10, 2026, around 2200 hours, Cottage Grove Police Department officers were dispatched to a residence in Cottage Grove, Washington County, Minnesota for a report of a physical domestic assault. When Officer Freeman arrived on scene, he spoke with a juvenile female, hereinafter identified as "Victim," and an adult female, hereinafter identified as "Witness." (Both Victim and Witness are fully identified in law enforcement reports.) When Officer Freeman asked Victim [NAME REDACTED], Witness stated "I saw him strangling my daughter and decided to call." He then asked for more information about the incident and Victim said, "He took my phone, so I went out to talk to him and he strangled me." Officer Freeman then looked at Victim's neck and saw redness around her neck that was consistent with hand marks.
He also noticed that she had scratches on the front of her neck that looked fresh. Officer Freeman continued to ask Victim additional questions and learned that the person that Victim and Witness were referring to was Victim's father, identified as ADAM CARL MURPHY [DOB REDACTED]. Victim [NAME REDACTED] was upset that she was on her phone and not going to bed and he took her phone away from her. When Victim attempted to talk to Murphy more about her phone being taken away, he got up from where he was in the living room and came into the doorway of her bedroom and put both hands around her neck.
Victim [NAME REDACTED] onto her neck for approximately ten seconds, strangling her and she was unable to breathe. She also said that he pushed her backwards into a desk chair and she bounced her head off the wall. Officer Freeman noticed that she had a red abrasion on the back of her head consistent with where she would have hit her head. Witness confirmed that she saw Victim [NAME REDACTED]. Officer Davick had also responded to the scene and made contact with Murphy while Officer Freeman was speaking to Witness and Victim.
Murphy said that he had to "physically" take Victim's phone away from her. When Officer Davick asked Murphy how that happened, Murphy responded "Well, I'm 6'3" and 350 pounds so I physically put my hands on her … Did I do it the right way? Maybe not. Did I scare my wife? Maybe." Murphy went on to say that he "grabbed" Victim [NAME REDACTED]. When Officer Davick asked him what happened after that, Murphy responded "I scared everybody and I left the room." Officer Davick asked Murphy how Victim would have gotten the red marks around her neck and Murphy responded, "I mean, when I grabbed her, I ripped her out of bed … there was no malice.
It was all about getting her phone." Murphy was arrested and transported to the Washington County jail.
