Prosecutors say a 35-year-old man fled a medical hold and beat a security officer who later died.
WYOMING, Minn. — A Minnesota patient was charged Monday with second-degree murder in the death of a hospital security guard who was assaulted on Christmas evening outside M Health Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming, authorities said.
Prosecutors allege Jonathan Chet Winch, 35, ran from the emergency department after being placed on a medical hold and attacked security officer Andrea Jean Merrell, 43, near a marked security vehicle. Merrell was found with severe head trauma and agonal breathing and died two days later at a St. Paul hospital. A criminal complaint describes surveillance images of a man on top of Merrell, striking her, as police arrived. Officials say the Ramsey County medical examiner ruled her death a homicide caused by traumatic head injuries. The case marks the most serious charge yet in a week of updates from police and hospital officials following the Christmas incident.
According to the complaint, the confrontation began shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 25, when Winch pushed through magnetic doors and left the ER despite the hold. A responding officer found Merrell unconscious beside a security SUV with its lights flashing. The officer spotted Winch nearby and tried to detain him. During a struggle lasting about five minutes, the officer deployed a Taser while Winch allegedly advanced and repeated, “I didn’t mean to hurt her,” before additional officers helped subdue and handcuff him. The complaint says hospital surveillance video showed a larger figure on top of a smaller figure near the vehicle, appearing to swing and strike. Police said Winch was then taken back into medical care and later booked into jail.
Officials identified the guard as Merrell, a North Branch resident who worked security at the Wyoming campus. She was taken to Regions Hospital with a very weak pulse and later pronounced dead on Dec. 27. The medical examiner listed the cause of death as traumatic head injuries due to physical assault. Police said the suspect had tried to climb onto a squad car windshield before being removed and restrained. In a statement, the hospital called Merrell a valued team member and said it is assisting law enforcement while offering support to staff affected by the attack. Friends described Merrell as mission-driven and steady under stress.
Wyoming police initially announced an arrest the day after Christmas, saying officers confronted a “non-compliant” patient who resisted and that a security officer had been assaulted before they arrived. Over the weekend, the department confirmed Merrell’s death and extended condolences to her family and colleagues. By Monday, county prosecutors filed a single count of second-degree murder, which under Minnesota law carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Authorities did not detail any prior connection between Winch and Merrell. Charging documents did not list a weapon; investigators described the attack as a physical beating captured on surveillance.
The charge pushes the case into a new phase for a community still absorbing the loss at a suburban hospital about 30 miles north of Minneapolis. Court records are expected to set an initial appearance and bail conditions in the coming days. Prosecutors said the investigation remains active, including full review of hospital video, officer body camera footage and medical findings. The hospital’s parent system said it is reviewing security protocols, while local leaders noted growing concerns about workplace violence in emergency rooms. No further injuries were reported in the Christmas incident.
Outside the hospital Monday, a small cluster of flowers and a handwritten note for “Officer Merrell” leaned against a security post as a light snow fell. A colleague who declined to give a last name said Merrell “never walked away from someone in crisis.” David Velasquez, described by friends as close to Merrell, said her career reflected a call to public service and that her death “cut short a life centered on protecting others.” Neighbors in North Branch said patrol cars were seen briefly near the family home as relatives gathered.
As of Monday afternoon, Winch was in custody pending his first court appearance, where a judge will set bail and future hearing dates. Police said additional information, including a fuller timeline and any supplementary charges, could come after prosecutors receive complete lab and video analysis. Funeral arrangements for Merrell were pending. Officials said the next update is likely tied to the defendant’s initial appearance this week.
Author note: Last updated December 29, 2025.