"I can’t believe I did this, I hope she is not dead." - alleged statement of Youngmark to his mother
Scott Youngmark faces life in prison on charge of first-degree intentional homicide
 Scott Lundmark - Photo by
Greg Marsten
by Greg Marsten
Leader staff writer BALSAM LAKE - Polk County prosecutor Daniel Steffen released the criminal complaint against Scott A. Youngmark, 45, Milltown on Thursday, which charges him with first-degree intentional homicide in the Nov. 30/Dec. 1 death of Kari G. Roberts, 47, Youngmark's alleged fiance. Steffen is seeking a life sentence upon conviction. Roberts was discovered dead of apparent blunt force trauma early on Dec. 1 in her Milltown apartment. While the complaint doesn't reveal many details on the possible manner or reasons for Roberts' murder, it does reveal that Youngmark went to his mother's home nearby in Milltown late on Friday, Nov. 30 or early Sat., Dec. 1, where he revealed to her that he "did something real bad" and that he "thought he killed her." Youngmark and Roberts reportedly shared the Milltown apartment for the last month, with his claims that they were engaged to be married. The complaint outlines how Youngmark's mother recalled him telling her “I can’t believe I did this, I hope she is not dead.” Youngmark's mother was visiting with neighbors at the time, and he tried to persuade his mother to go back to the scene with him, but that she refused. However, one of the neighbors did take Youngmark back to the apartment at 63 East Main St. in Milltown to see if Roberts really was dead. When they arrived, the witness noted blood on the carpet and in the kitchen, and then saw Roberts lying nude in the back bedroom, with blood on the back of her head. He checked for a pulse, but reportedly told investigating officers that the woman's body "was ice cold." He also said it looked like the woman had been beaten. The man told Youngmark he had to call the police, and that if he didn't call them by morning that he would call them instead. Youngmark initially refused, and instead asked the man to help him move the body, which the man vehemently refused to do. Youngmark later called 911 anonymously from his mother's apartment, at around 1:21 a.m. on Dec. 1, telling them that there was a woman who needed medical assistance at the other apartment. Police arrived a short time later to where the call had been placed, and Youngmark acted like he had no idea why they were asking him questions about Roberts. The complaint details several inconsistencies Youngmark reportedly made in his initial statements to police, and how he eventually revealed that he had visited Roberts earlier that night, and that she had either hurt herself in an accident while using pills or had been injured or assaulted by a man named "Jeff," whom he tried to blame her injuries on and claimed she was having an affair with while Youngmark was previously in jail. The complaint chronicles a later investigation revealing that several of Youngmark's clothing items were found bloodied and discarded at his mother's apartment, as well as statements by his mother and neighbors, incriminating Youngmark, who had apparently been drinking when he was found, which was a direct violation of bond conditions from three felony cases he already has pending. Youngmark remains in the Polk County Jail on a $10,000 cash bond from the bond violations after a Wednesday, Dec. 5 hearing before the Hon. Judge Jeffery Anderson. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance on the first-degree intentional homicide charge on Jan. 7 before Judge Anderson, where the homicide charges will be addressed. Youngmark has an extensive history of criminal activity going back over a quarter century, from multiple assaults to arson, burglary, thefts, DUI, violation of protection orders, sexual assault and much more, almost all of which occurred in Minnesota going back to the mid-1980s. Funeral plans for Kari G. Roberts are pending, although friends and family will take part in a candlelight vigil at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7 outside the Milltown Post Office, which is right beside the apartment where she died. The vigil was organized by the Community Referral Agency, which is a local domestic violence shelter and advocacy group, based in Milltown. |
The apartment in Milltown where the alleged homicide occurred. -Photo by Greg Marsten
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