The ex-wife of Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell has pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder after admitting she tried to kill their vulnerable adult son by poisoning his feeding tube with prescription anxiety medication.
Julie Myhre-Schnell, 65, entered the plea this month in Ramsey County District Court.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7.
A diabolical plan
The charge stems from a disturbing incident that took place on Dec. 3, 2023, at a group home in Vadnais Heights, where Myhre-Schnell’s adult son — who requires feeding through a tube — resided.
According to the criminal complaint, Myhre-Schnell told multiple family members that she had attempted to kill her son by crushing up her anxiety pills and mixing them into his feeding bag, “hoping he would go to sleep forever.”
When questioned by Ramsey County investigators, Myhre-Schnell confessed that she planned the act in advance, refilling her prescription and concealing the drug mixture in her pocket, stating, “the whole time, I knew I was gonna try to do this.”
Myhre-Schnell “admitted that she crushed up the remaining Lorazepam pills and put them into a ‘slurry’ of water in a container to bring to the facility. [She] brought the ‘slurry’ in its container, carrying it in her pocket, until she emptied the container into Victim’s feeding bag that night prior to leaving,” the complaint states.
Son survives, mother confesses
Her son was hospitalized the next day with acute symptoms including a decreased level of responsiveness, altered mental status, low blood pressure, and respiratory failure. Medical staff did not conduct a toxicology screen, but investigators confirmed Myhre-Schnell’s refill activity through the state’s prescription monitoring program.
The complaint states that she later texted her son on Aug. 6, 2024, confessing that she had tried to kill him. He responded by telling investigators the revelation was “heavy” and “a lot to process.”
When asked how she felt upon learning her son had survived, Myhre-Schnell allegedly replied, “I completely regretted he survived,” and expressed concern about being caught: “I’m just going to go to jail.”
The son, who enjoys volunteering at the zoo and told investigators he is happy in his group home, had previously maintained regular contact with his mother. After the incident, she stopped visiting.
Commissioner Paul Schnell’s divorce from Myhre-Schnell was finalized in 2024, according to reports. He has not publicly commented on the case.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
