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DULUTH, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Duluth man has pleaded guilty to murder stemming from the stabbing death of a man, and intentionally setting an apartment on fire in July 2024.
Duluth stabbing and apartment fire
What we know:
Tyler Walter Edwards, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree unintentional murder on April 21, 2026.
As part of the plea hearing, Edwards reportedly admitted that he and Maxton Gudowski got into a "heated argument," before Edwards stabbed him multiple times with a kitchen knife, then set fire to the apartment.
The backstory:
According to the criminal complaint, on July 25, authorities responded to an apartment fire in Duluth and located the burned remains of 25-year-old Gudowski. Investigators reported finding Pine Sol cleaner and another accelerant, believed to be 99 Fruit Punch liquor, on an electric blanket, part of his body, and the surrounding floor.
An autopsy revealed Gudowski had been stabbed more than 30 times, and sustained defensive wounds to his hands. The medical examiner found no signs of smoke inhalation or carbon monoxide, suggesting that Gudowski had died prior to being set on fire, the complaint says.
Dig deeper:
According to charges, investigators discovered a recent credit union receipt inside the apartment, prompting authorities to review surveillance footage.
The video allegedly shows Gudowski and Edwards at the bank together on July 22. Police described Edwards as wearing a distinctive pair of sunglasses, similar to a pair reportedly found underneath Gudowski’s body, according to court documents.
Surveillance video also allegedly shows Edwards purchasing 20 50ml bottles of 99 Fruit Punch from a liquor store, before walking in the direction of Gudowski’s apartment.
According to the criminal complaint, Edwards' DNA was reportedly located on the open 99 Fruit Punch bottles scattered near the body.
Police located Edwards on the afternoon of July 25, 2024, and took him into custody.
Authorities reported he initially provided a false name, but later gave his real one, which revealed an arrest warrant in Hennepin County for a criminal sexual conduct case. Edwards has remained in custody since Sept. 1, 2024.
What's next:
A sentencing date is scheduled for June 15, 2026.
The Source: Information provided by charges filed in St. Louis County and previous FOX 9 reporting.