St. Croix Falls man charged with second-degree murder in Wyoming ER security guard death
Jonathan Chet Winch, 25, of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Andrea Merrell, a security guard who died from injuries sustained during a Christmas Day assault in the emergency department at M Health Fairview Lakes in Wyoming, Minn. Authorities say Winch forced his way past magnetic doors after leaving against a medical hold, tried to steal a hospital emergency vehicle and jumped onto a responding officer’s squad car windshield, triggering a roughly five‑minute struggle during which a Taser was used; he is in custody and was quoted saying, "I didn't mean to hurt her," while the hospital called Merrell a valued team member.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- Andrea Merrell, a security guard at M Health Fairview Lakes in Wyoming, Minn., died from injuries sustained during a Christmas Day assault while she was working in the hospital setting.
- News outlets confirm Merrell’s death was directly linked to injuries from the Christmas Day assault.
- Local reporting initially described the suspect as a Chisago City man; later coverage identified him as 25-year-old Jonathan Chet Winch of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. He is in custody and has been charged in Chisago County with second-degree murder in connection with the incident.
- Authorities allege Winch forced his way past large magnetic doors after leaving against a medical hold, attempted to steal a hospital emergency vehicle, and jumped onto a responding officer’s squad car windshield.
- Police say there was a roughly five-minute struggle with an officer that included Taser use; Winch allegedly told officers, "I didn't mean to hurt her."
- M Health Fairview issued a statement calling Merrell a valued member of its security team and confirmed her death; the hospital described the events as tied to a patient elopement response in the parking lot.
- Charging documents and local coverage include a probable‑cause narrative and court filing details (court venue in Chisago County), and initial reports noted information about bail and upcoming court dates as well as statements from investigators, prosecutors, the hospital and the victim’s family.
đź“Š Relevant Data
73% of nonfatal injuries from workplace violence in 2022 were to females, while 62% were to individuals aged 25-54.
About Workplace Violence — CDC
Healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in other industries, accounting for 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries from violence.
Violence Escalates against Surgeons and Other Healthcare Workers — American College of Surgeons
Over 20% of emergency department encounters involving patients with mental and behavioral health conditions include aggression or attempted elopement.
Evaluating Safety Concerns for Pediatric Mental and Behavioral — Journal of Patient Safety
38% of violence-related sentinel events occurred while receiving medical services within the emergency department or on a medical floor.
The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Data 2024 Annual Review — The Joint Commission
đź“° Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Identifies the charged suspect as 25-year-old Jonathan Chet Winch of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.
- Confirms the victim as hospital security guard Andrea Merrell and that she died from injuries sustained in the Christmas Day assault.
- Details that Winch allegedly forced his way past large magnetic doors, left against a medical hold, tried to steal a hospital emergency vehicle, then jumped onto a responding officer’s squad car windshield.
- Describes a roughly five-minute struggle with the officer, including Taser use, and quotes Winch allegedly saying, "I didn't mean to hurt her."
- Includes an official statement from M Health Fairview describing Merrell as a valued security team member and confirming her death while responding to a patient elopement in the parking lot.
- Identifies the suspect as a Chisago City man and specifies the criminal charge (e.g., second‑degree murder/related homicide count) filed in connection with the Christmas Day assault.
- Clarifies charging details such as the court venue (likely Chisago County), date of filing, and any stated probable‑cause narrative about what happened during the ER incident.
- May include initial information on bail conditions, next court date, and statements from investigators, prosecutors, the hospital, or the victim’s family about the charging decision.
- Confirms that the assault occurred in the emergency room at M Health Fairview Lakes in Wyoming, Minn., while Merrell was working as a security guard.
- Reiterates that Merrell died of injuries sustained in the incident, framing it as a workplace death tied to an ER patient assault.
- Provides an updated confirmation of her death and hospital context from another metro outlet (TwinCities.com).
- Confirms the death was directly linked to injuries from the Christmas Day assault at M Health Fairview Lakes Medical Center.
- States explicitly that the suspect is in custody in connection with the assault.
- Reiterates law enforcement’s characterization of the incident as a criminal assault occurring in a hospital workplace setting.