Shakopee man charged in 2020 drug-related death

A Shakopee man is facing a murder charge in connection to a 2020 drug-related death.

Tuesday, prosecutors charged 35-year-old Jordan Ronald Ellingson with third-degree murder through selling controlled substances.

His charges are in connection to the death of a man who was found unresponsive by his parents in their home on Dec. 12, 2020, in Helena Township. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later, and his cause of death was determined to be cardiopulmonary arrest due to a mixture of meth and multiple opioids.

At the scene, officers found suspected heroin and a needle, according to a criminal complaint. The victim’s parents said he’d struggled with substance addiction but had been doing well. They added that if he got drugs, it was likely from Ellingson, who’d met him in treatment two years earlier.

According to the complaint, officers saw messages on the victim’s phone that appeared to be setting up a drug deal for meth and opioids. The number of the person the victim had messaged and subsequently paid was linked to Ellingson.

Police then searched Ellingson’s home in February and found meth, heroin paraphernalia and hypodermic needles, the complaint states. The following week, investigators searched Ellingson’s phone and found the same text chain that was on the victim’s phone, as well as several conversations with others that appeared to be about drug sales.

As of Tuesday, Ellingson wasn’t yet in custody, but a warrant had been issued for his arrest.

If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison and a $40,000 fine.