Michael Laflex receives a life sentence for murdering Bryce Brogle, his daughter's boyfriend, in a case of suspected abuse.

A Minnesota father has been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the brutal killing of his daughter's allegedly abusive boyfriend. Michael Lee Laflex, 46, informed a witness that he had already dug a hole for the victim's grave before carrying out the murder. 

Laflex was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree murder for fatally shooting Bryce Brogle in April. Along with the life sentence, he was ordered by Crow Wing County District Court Judge Charles D. Halverson to pay $14,596.08 in restitution and court fees.

The case began when Laflexs daughter reported Brogle missing to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office on October 28, 2022. Brogle was last seen with Laflex at a storage unit Laflex had rented two days earlier.

Initially, Laflex told investigators that Brogle had been detained by unknown law enforcement who confiscated his cell phones. Later, he changed his story, claiming he had discarded the phones at a gas station. Police eventually recovered both phones.

The landlord of Brogle and Laflexs daughter's rented home informed investigators that Laflex had asked if Brogle had ever harmed his daughter and stated that he had seen her with two black eyes. Laflex then allegedly said he would kill Brogle and had already dug a hole.

A family member of Laflex provided further details to the police, revealing that Laflex believed Brogle was abusing his daughter. Laflex reportedly shot Brogle at the storage unit on October 26, 2022, and cleaned the unit with bleach. He then disposed of the body, which he said would not be found as it had been buried. A sledge was used to move Brogle's body at one point.

During a search of the storage unit, police found blood on the concrete floor that had been cleaned with bleach and marks consistent with something being dragged across the floor. On October 30, 2022, authorities located Brogle's gravesite. An autopsy confirmed that Brogle died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head, and his body was identified.

Laflex's conviction and sentencing bring some closure to the tragic case, highlighting the severe consequences of taking the law into one's own hands.