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Background: News footage of the scene outside Lyle Maske”s property in Brainerd, Minn., where he was found shot dead on Nov. 1, 2024 (KARE). Inset (left): Chad Aanerud (Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office). Inset (right): Lyle Maske (Brenny Family Funeral Chapel).
A Minnesota man has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after a chilling series of events that included the kidnapping of his pregnant girlfriend and her four children, following the fatal shooting of their neighbor.
Chad Aanerud, aged 37, admitted guilt in December 2025 to charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault, and burglary. This confession stems from a harrowing incident in November 2024 that led to the death of 62-year-old Lyle Maske. As detailed in court documents reviewed by Law&Crime, authorities were alerted to a shooting just before 2 a.m. on November 1, 2024. Upon arrival at Maske’s residence, police discovered him lifeless in his driveway, the victim of a gunshot wound.
During his confession, Aanerud claimed that Maske had “stuck his nose where it didn’t belong,” which allegedly led to the confrontation that ended in the fatal shooting.
The tragic series of events unfolded on the night of October 31, 2024. Aanerud’s girlfriend, who was pregnant at the time, instructed her four children to flee to the neighboring Maske household after she accused Aanerud of sexual assault. The children complied, and upon reaching Maske’s home, informed his wife that Aanerud was “robbing” them. Maske then expressed his intention to investigate the situation next door but chose to leave his rifle behind, fearing it might escalate the situation.
Accompanied by another woman living with the Maskes, Maske was driven down the driveway to the scene. She then returned to the Maske household to ensure the children’s safety.
Ten minutes later, Aanerud showed up at the Maskes’ door with his own rifle, demanding that the woman and Maske’s wife return “his kids” to him and threatening to kill them. He fired the rifle while inside the home. Aanerud forced the children outside and into a white van, where his girlfriend was already waiting in the front seat.
The woman living with the Maskes went looking for Maske and found him on the ground, covered in blood. She called 911, believing he was already dead. When police arrived and attempted to render aid to Maske, they noticed that the house where Aanerud’s girlfriend and children had been living was engulfed in flames.
An Amber Alert was issued for the children, and police tracked down the van a few hours later. Police said Aanerud’s girlfriend had visible injuries to her face, neck, and chest. The children were unharmed.
Police said Aanerud “smelled strongly of gasoline or another inflammable substance,” and he was arrested. His girlfriend told police that she saw him “dumping buckets full of gasoline or diesel” over the home after stealing firearms from it. She also witnessed the confrontation between Aanerud and Maske, which ended with Aanerud fatally shooting the older man and saying, “see motherf—er, I told you ‘Shut up.’” He then threatened to kill her if she did not get in the van.
Aanerud pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault, and burglary. As part of the plea agreement, more than a dozen additional charges were dropped, including second-degree murder, criminal sexual conduct, four kidnapping charges, and one arson charge.
On Tuesday, Aanerud was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 30 years.