Forest Lake Man Gets 30 Years in Girlfriend’s Murder

STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) - A Forest Lake man will serve 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering his girlfriend and leaving her body in his apartment for several days.

Twenty-seven-year-old Lauren Lynch was sentenced Friday in Washington County. Lynch had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 36-year-old Grace Ann Van Norman. Police went to Lynch's apartment in September after a foul odor was reported in the building.

The complaint says Lynch refused to allow officers inside and said his girlfriend was at work. Lynch eventually came out and told officers "she's inside."

Officers found Van Norman's body covered in blankets. Lynch told police he had stabbed her in the neck several times.

Lynch also was ordered to pay about $8,300 in restitution.