Authorities investigating after man sentenced for murder dies from apparent suicide in St. Cloud prison

A man who was sentenced for shooting and killing his wife in 2021 was found dead from an apparent suicide on Dec. 20, 2023, according to officials from the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC).

Raymond Arthur Julian, 67, reportedly died at the St. Cloud Minnesota Correctional Facility just two days after he was sentenced to more than 25 years for the murder of his wife.

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Court records show Julian was convicted of second-degree murder after pleading guilty on Sept. 8, 2023.

The criminal complaint shows that Carlton County deputies responded to a home in the 3600 block of Heiskari Road in Kalevala Township for a welfare check after a caller reported getting an email from Julian. In that email, the 911 caller said, Julian implied that he was planning to kill his wife.

The first deputy who arrived spoke to Julian at a partially finished pole building, according to court records. The deputy said that they were there to check on him and his wife. Julian responded by saying he was fine but his wife was ill and was recovering in bed, adding that he would rather they didn’t check on her. The deputy responded by saying that he and his wife weren’t in any trouble.

The complaint states Julian then said, “That’s the problem, you’re going to have to arrest me.” Deputies continued to speak with Julian, who then said, “My wife is dead, she’s in the bed, I killed her.”

Raymond Julian was then detained and deputies searched the pole building, where they found the body of 62-year-old Tracy Ellen Julian on a bed with gunshot wounds to her head and chest. Julian also told law enforcement there was a shotgun on the kitchen counter and a .357 Magnum in a black zip case.

The complaint adds that Julian made comments about hurting himself while being taken to the hospital.

In court, defense attorneys for Julian said he shot his wife as part of a “suicide pact” and that he was carrying out a “mercy killing” for his wife due to her poor health.

Evidence filed in court shows that Tracy kept hand-written notes documenting her pain and saying “goodbye” to loved ones.

There were also multiple letters of support filed from friends and family saying that Raymond Julian loved his wife and that he acted out of compassion, asking for the judge to “spare his life.”

Any form of assisted suicide is illegal in Minnesota.