Wade Woelfel Charged With Murder In Fatal Mankato Overdose
MANKATO, Minn. (WCCO) -- A Moose Lake man is accused of selling the drugs that led to another man's fatal overdose in the bathroom of a Mankato home last fall.
Wade Woelfel is charged with third-degree murder, according to court documents filed in Blue Earth County Wednesday.
The fatal overdose occurred Oct. 8, 2021, according to the criminal complaint. A woman called 911 after finding her boyfriend unresponsive in the bathroom. She told responding officers her boyfriend "had addiction issues with illegal narcotics," the complaint states.
Authorities identified the deceased man as 44-year-old Bryan Marconcini. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later showed he had amphetamine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and norfentanyl in his system.
Investigators said they found drug paraphernalia and a substance that was later identified as methamphetamine in the bathroom.
The woman told investigators Marconcini had met with a man named "Wade" or "Wayne" the day before his overdose. According to the complaint, investigators suspected she was referring to Woelfel, who was "know to agents as both a user and a seller of narcotics."
Surveillance video confirmed the meeting between Woelfel and Marconcini, and showed the two completing an apparent drug deal, the complaint states.
Investigators used an informant to set up a fake deal with Woelfel, and took him into custody when she showed up. According to the complaint, he had numerous controlled substances, a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia with him at the time.
Investigators found communications between Woelfel and Marconcini on Woelfel's phone, including several calls on Oct. 7 and 8 and previous text exchanges about buying drugs.
Woelfel is being held at the Minnesota Correctional Facility - St. Cloud in relation to a previous crime.
