Forest Lake Man Pleads Guilty To Murdering Girlfriend

FOREST LAKE (AP) — A Forest Lake man faces more than 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering his girlfriend and leaving her body in his apartment for three days.

Twenty-seven-year-old Lauren Mason Grove Lynch pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder.

Police went to Lynch's apartment in September after a foul odor was reported in the building.

A criminal complaint says Lynch refused to allow officers inside and said his girlfriend had recently moved in and was at work. Lynch eventually came out of the apartment and told officers "she's inside."

Officers found the body of 36-year-old Grace Ann Van Norman covered in blankets with a pillow over her head. Lynch told police he had stabbed Van Norman in the neck several times.

KSTP-TV (http://bit.ly/22aC7Df ) reports sentencing is set for Aug. 5.