Charges Filed Against Son After Fridley Woman’s 2023 Death

Aug 1

A Fridley man is now charged with murder after his mother was found beaten to death inside their home in spring 2023.

Jake Arnold Ladwig, 23, was charged in Anoka County District Court with second-degree murder without intent and third-degree assault, according to a complaint filed earlier this week.

Prosecutors allege Ladwig fatally assaulted his mother, 55-year-old Gara Lee Ladwig, then left her body on the kitchen floor for two days before it was discovered.

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Fridley police responded to the home on Ben More Drive Northeast around 6:40 p.m. on May 30, 2023, after a personal care attendant arrived for a scheduled visit with Ladwig and found his mother unresponsive. According to the complaint, she was lying in a pool of blood, her face appeared deformed and her body was covered in bruises. Emergency responders confirmed she was deceased.

The PCA told officers that Ladwig met him at the door and said, “Am I going to see Abby tomorrow? There's a mess,” referring to his sister. Ladwig, who is diagnosed with significant autism spectrum disorder, was found to be nearly non-verbal and only spoke in short phrases during a police interview.

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An autopsy by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the woman’s death a homicide. The examiner documented extensive blunt-force injuries, including rib fractures that punctured both lungs and the heart, a fractured sternum and cervical spine, bleeding over the brain, and large sections of hair that appeared pulled out. Some injuries occurred before death and others after, according to the report. Based on rigor mortis and other indicators, the medical examiner estimated she had died around 6:40 p.m. on May 28—two days before she was found.

Ladwig’s sister told police he had a long history of violent outbursts toward their mother, including kicking, hitting, pulling her hair and pushing her if he felt ignored. She said these incidents were often triggered when he didn’t receive the attention he wanted. She also shared multiple photos of injuries their mother had reportedly sent her between 2017 and 2021.

On the morning of May 30, a bus service that typically transported Ladwig to school reported that he never came outside, but the driver saw him pacing inside the home. Neighbors also reported seeing Ladwig alone that morning, including on the balcony. No other people were seen entering or leaving the residence during that time.

Investigators later found blood stains on a recliner and a wall in the upstairs hallway. Using luminol, they detected additional traces of blood in the hallway, on the floor, and in a barefoot trail leading away from the kitchen to a nearby bedroom. No footprints were found heading toward the kitchen. In the bathroom, chemical testing revealed traces of blood in the sink and on the vanity and faucet handles.

Cell phone location data obtained through a geofence warrant identified seven devices in the area at the time of the killing. Investigators spoke to the owners of those devices, none of whom had contact with the victim or Ladwig, but all reported seeing Ladwig around the home. Neighbors also told police they had witnessed past assaults by Ladwig on his mother outside the home.

Ladwig has been ordered to appear in court by summons. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison on the murder charge and up to 5 years for the assault.

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