OGILVIE, Minn. — A Minnesota man has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for the brutal murder of his 93-year-old grandmother. Dustin Gene Tinklenberg, 43, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting to killing his grandmother, Stella Anderson, with a tomahawk-type hatchet. Tinklenberg believed that she had tampered with his bacon, leading to the horrific act.
The incident occurred on September 13, 2022, in Ogilvie, a town located approximately 70 miles north of Minneapolis. Deputies responded to a welfare check at Anderson’s residence, where they discovered her lifeless body, showing evident signs of homicidal violence.
According to a criminal complaint, Anderson’s daughter and another family member made the tragic discovery and immediately called 911. Two great-grandchildren of the victim reported hearing shouting from inside the house while they were outside, retrieving something from someone camping on the property. One of them later saw Tinklenberg on the deck, seemingly agitated and yelling.
Law enforcement officers eventually found Tinklenberg in a nearby home, where he was taken into custody. Autopsy results revealed that Anderson had suffered from multiple deep cuts to her head, inflicted by a tomahawk hatchet.
Records show that witnesses had previously seen Tinklenberg with a hatchet, including an incident where he slammed the weapon into a bar counter during a dispute at Fat Jack’s bar. In another instance, Tinklenberg showed a sheathed double-edge hatchet to homeowners during a visit.
During police interviews, Tinklenberg claimed that his grandmother had sexually abused him in his childhood and continued to harass him as an adult. He made additional bizarre statements, including being followed by drones and having undergone undisclosed surgeries without recollection.
When confronted with news of his grandmother’s death, Tinklenberg admitted to losing control because she had supposedly tampered with his bacon. The court sentenced him to 26 years in prison for second-degree murder.
The tragic case highlights the complexity of family dynamics and the devastating consequences of unchecked rage. Tinklenberg’s guilty plea and his disturbing allegations against his grandmother shed light on a deeply troubled relationship. The court’s decision to hand down a lengthy prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime committed.