A 24-year-old man was found dead from an apparent overdose at a Chisago Lake Township home after spending the night with friends and reportedly buying fentanyl from a local dealer.
Michael Laurence Bunde, 65, of Shafer, faces a charge of 3rd-degree murder for selling a controlled substance that resulted in the victim’s death, according to a complaint filed Thursday in Chisago County District Court.
Deputies responded to a residence on 318th Street on March 19, 2025, after a report of an unresponsive male. They found the victim lying partially in the bathroom and hallway, with blue skin and locked limbs and determined he was already deceased. The victim was identified as a 24-year-old man. Others at the home included the homeowner and a young child.
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One of the women at the home, Morgan Kathryn Johnson, told deputies she had reconnected with the victim days earlier and that he had been dropped off at her house on March 17. She said they spent time together, and she last saw him alive before going to sleep around 1:30 a.m. Johnson said she found the victim slumped over the toilet, then called 911.
She admitted to hiding the victim’s phone in a clothes hamper out of fear it would link her to drug activity, but later gave it to investigators.
Johnson told deputies the victim had purchased fentanyl from a man named Mike in Chisago City. Investigators identified Mike as Michael Laurence Bunde, who was already suspected of dealing powdered fentanyl in the area. On May 1, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bunde’s residence.
Bunde told investigators he knew Johnson and that she had visited his home twice shortly before the victim’s death. He denied selling drugs, claiming he only “helps people out,” but admitted Johnson picked up controlled substances from him and gave him $35.
During the search, officers found an iPhone belonging to the victim on Bunde’s bed. Data extraction revealed several videos showing Johnson in Bunde’s bedroom, smoking a substance from tinfoil and receiving a small plastic baggie from Bunde. In one video, Bunde is seen handling a small bag as Johnson packs up her belongings. The victim does not appear in any of the videos.
Investigators also reviewed text messages between the victim and Johnson, confirming the victim was dropped off at Johnson’s home late on March 17. Location data placed the victim and Johnson in Shafer the next day, where Johnson attempted to buy heroin or fentanyl from another person but was unsuccessful.
The charge against Bunde alleges he sold or provided a controlled substance that directly resulted in the victim’s death. The complaint does not specify a maximum penalty for the charge.
About This Charge
In Minnesota, homicide charges fall under three degrees: § 609.185 (first-degree murder), § 609.19 (second-degree murder) and § 609.195 (third-degree murder). First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence; second-degree convictions are presumptive 12 to 40 years; third-degree up to 25 years. The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission publishes guideline ranges that judges follow except where specific aggravating or mitigating factors are on the record.
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