Suspect charged, victim identified in North Mankato homicide

A man has been charged after committing a homicide in North Mankato earlier this week.

Dominic Scott Ellen, 41, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting.

As previously reported, North Mankato police responded to the 1600 block of Hoover Drive around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after a woman called and asked for help.

When they got to the building, the woman brought them to an apartment where a 27-year-old man, later identified as John Everette Lutgen-Bernatz, was dead.

Ellen was also in the apartment at the time and was arrested, according to authorities.

In addition to the murder charges, Ellen was also charged with one count of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, one count of threats of violence and one count of possession of a firearm without a serial number.

He is currently in custody at the Nicollet County Jail.

The incident is still under investigation by North Mankato police and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.