(PRESS RELEASE) – A brother and sister have been found guilty of murder for their roles in a robbery that left a Lino Lakes man dead in August 2020.
Nicholas Zielinski pleaded guilty Jan. 4, 2022, to one count of second-degree intentional murder (not premeditated). His sister, Melissa Zielinski, was found guilty by an Anoka County jury Feb.
3, 2022, of three counts of aiding and abetting murder.
According to the charges, Melissa Zielinski planned and orchestrated a robbery at the home of Karl Henderson and enlisted her brother to assist. The Zielinski siblings were seen at the home
just before Henderson was found dead in his bedroom. He had been shot once in the chest.
In his plea hearing, as well as at the trial of his sister, Nicholas Zielinski testified that they went to the on West Shadow Lake Drive with the intent of robbing Henderson at gunpoint, but the encounter turned deadly. Zielinski said his sister placed restraints on Henderson, but he managed to break free. When Henderson lunged for Nicholas Zielinski’s gun, there was a scuffle. Nicholas
Zielinski admitted to firing two shots, hitting Henderson in the chest once.
Melissa Zielinski was charged in September 2020 with aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder (not premeditated). In November 2021, a grand jury indicted her on aiding
and abetting first-degree intentional murder while committing aggravated robbery. A third charge was added before jury deliberations as a lesser-included count of aiding and abetting
second-degree unintentional murder. After approximately three hours of deliberation, the jury found her guilty of all charges.
Both Zielinskis will be sentenced on Mar. 23, 2022. Due to the guilty verdict on first-degree murder, the presumptive sentence for Melissa Zielinski is life with the possibly of parole. Based
on his plea agreement, Nicholas Zielinski will receive a prison sentence of just under 20 years.
“Law enforcement from the Lino Lakes Police Department and Anoka County Sheriff’s Office should be recognized for their hard work on an outstanding investigation,” said Anoka County
Attorney’s Office Criminal Division Chief Wade Kish. “The jury is also very deserving of our appreciation for their service and a just verdict. Most importantly, while this guilty verdict can
never bring Karl Henderson back into their lives, I am hopeful that the end result of the criminal justice process can be some measure of comfort to his family.”
Lino Lakes Police Chief John Swenson added, “I want to thank the public safety and prosecution teams for their collaborative efforts on this case. I hope the verdict provides some
level of closure for the Henderson family.”
Melissa Zielinski
Nicholas Zielinski
