Chanhassen woman dies in Minnetonka accident

It’s been more than nine months since a woman riding a motorcycle was found dead in the middle of a Minnetonka highway.

On Wednesday, her family has more answers now that a man has been charged with her death.

Mark Van Guilder says he’s angry that his fiancée is gone and angry that someone could've done this to her.

He said he wasn't ready to talk on camera, but his sister wanted to talk about the victim, Shelly MacGillivray, and the terrible pain their families are going through.

The Chanhassen woman and Van Guilder had been together 19 years. His sister, Dawn Meinhardt, says MacGillivray was like family.

"He took away a wonderful human being that had so much to offer to the world," Meinhardt said.

MacGillivray’s life ended when she was 44-years-old. Officers responded to a body in the middle of Highway 7 near Saddlewood Road in Minnetonka and her red Harley motorcycle in the ditch nearby on June 19, 2008.

"It wasn't an accident. This was a tragedy and certainly in my opinion and others, it was a murder," said Meinhardt.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, MacGillivray was rear-ended by a puckup truck and was thrown from her motorcycle before being struck by at least two other vehicles. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies followed a trail of vehicle coolant to an address in Minnetonka where they found 46-year-old Stuart Larson asleep, according to the criminal complaint.

Outside, investigators say they found pieces of MacGillivray’s motorcycle on the car parked outside. At the time of his arrest, Larson's blood alcohol content was .139, according to the complaint.

Larson told investigators he didn't remember getting in a crash but it was possible.

"He took away a wonderful human being that had so much to offer to the world. Shelly was loved by everyone that knew her and she was taken much too soon," Meinhardt said.

Immediate reports said MacGillivray was not wearing a helmet, which is true, but her loved ones say that's not why she died.

Larson, who has been charged with three counts of criminal vehicular homicide, is due in court Thursday.