https://kstp.com/news/eden-prairie-man-pleads-guilty-assisting-wife-suicide/5239686/
Charge Description:
That on or about August 15, 2018, Thomas James Houck, intentionally advised,
encouraged, or assisted another, a known adult female, in taking Victim 1's own life.
STATEMENT OF PROBABLE CAUSE
Your Complainant, Mark Gustad, is a Detective with the Eden Prairie Police Department and, in that
capacity, has investigated the facts and circumstances of this case and believes the following establishes
PROBABLE CAUSE:
On or about August 16, 2018, at approximately 2:20 a.m., officers of the Eden Prairie Police Department
responded to a known address, located in the City of Eden Prairie, Hennepin County, Minnesota, in
response to an emergency phone call made by THOMAS JAMES HOUCK, DOB 4/16/1957, the
Defendant herein.
In that call, the Defendant told the emergency dispatcher that he woke in the middle of
the night to find his wife, a known adult female, Victim 1 herein, had "euthanized herself."
The Defendant
went on to state that his wife had used nitrogen, wasn't breathing and was laying in her bed with a plastic
bag over her head.
Upon arrival, officers observed Victim 1 with a clear plastic bag over her head with a tube, which was
connected to a tank of nitrogen, inserted into the bag.
Victim 1 was deceased.
Near Victim 1 was what
appeared to be a handwritten note, which specified she could not endure any more pain and needed a way
out of the pain.
The medical examiner responded to the scene and a final autopsy report is pending.
Initially, the Defendant reported to law enforcement that he woke up in the middle of the night to go to the
restroom and found Victim 1 had killed herself.
The Defendant reported Victim 1 had been in a lot of pain
from an unknown cause and no medication was helping.
The Defendant did admit to previously assisting Victim 1 in searching for suicide methods and eventually,
on August 15, 2018, accompanied her to the store to purchase the nitrogen and the needed regulator. The
Defendant admitted to disposing of the receipts for the purchases of the nitrogen and regulator, but denied
that he otherwise assisted her in the suicide.
Complainant froze the scene and obtained a search warrant.
Upon returning to the residence, the
Defendant reported he had not been completely forthcoming or truthful.
In a post-Miranda statement, the
Defendant then admitted to helping Victim 1 make the hood out of the plastic bag, which they made based
off a document they had downloaded from the internet.
The Defendant further stated that he was present
when Victim 1 put the bag over her head and that he had, in fact, turned on the nitrogen gas. The Defendant
also confessed that he held the bag closed after Victim 1 put it over her head and continued to hold the bag
as he turned on the nitrogen gas and the tank emptied.
The Defendant further confessed he checked
Victim 1's pulse after the nitrogen tank was empty and felt Victim 1 had no pulse.
The Defendant reported he knew what he did was wrong and illegal so he wore gloves during the incident
and when it was over, drove to a nearby store and disposed of the gloves and some other items that he did
not specify.
The Defendant stated he tried to rest, but couldn't and eventually called 911 several hours later.
Law enforcement was able to obtain video of the Defendant and Victim 1 buying the nitrogen tank and also
video of the Defendant disposing of the evidence at the nearby store.
Police officers were also able to
recover a copy of the receipt for the regulator and speak to a sales associate who remembered the
Defendant's purchase.
The Defendant is presently in custody.
2
Charge Description:
That on or about August 15, 2018, Thomas James Houck, intentionally advised,
encouraged, or assisted another, a known adult female, in taking Victim 1's own life.
STATEMENT OF PROBABLE CAUSE
Your Complainant, Mark Gustad, is a Detective with the Eden Prairie Police Department and, in that
capacity, has investigated the facts and circumstances of this case and believes the following establishes
PROBABLE CAUSE:
On or about August 16, 2018, at approximately 2:20 a.m., officers of the Eden Prairie Police Department
responded to a known address, located in the City of Eden Prairie, Hennepin County, Minnesota, in
response to an emergency phone call made by THOMAS JAMES HOUCK, DOB 4/16/1957, the
Defendant herein.
In that call, the Defendant told the emergency dispatcher that he woke in the middle of
the night to find his wife, a known adult female, Victim 1 herein, had "euthanized herself."
The Defendant
went on to state that his wife had used nitrogen, wasn't breathing and was laying in her bed with a plastic
bag over her head.
Upon arrival, officers observed Victim 1 with a clear plastic bag over her head with a tube, which was
connected to a tank of nitrogen, inserted into the bag.
Victim 1 was deceased.
Near Victim 1 was what
appeared to be a handwritten note, which specified she could not endure any more pain and needed a way
out of the pain.
The medical examiner responded to the scene and a final autopsy report is pending.
Initially, the Defendant reported to law enforcement that he woke up in the middle of the night to go to the
restroom and found Victim 1 had killed herself.
The Defendant reported Victim 1 had been in a lot of pain
from an unknown cause and no medication was helping.
The Defendant did admit to previously assisting Victim 1 in searching for suicide methods and eventually,
on August 15, 2018, accompanied her to the store to purchase the nitrogen and the needed regulator. The
Defendant admitted to disposing of the receipts for the purchases of the nitrogen and regulator, but denied
that he otherwise assisted her in the suicide.
Complainant froze the scene and obtained a search warrant.
Upon returning to the residence, the
Defendant reported he had not been completely forthcoming or truthful.
In a post-Miranda statement, the
Defendant then admitted to helping Victim 1 make the hood out of the plastic bag, which they made based
off a document they had downloaded from the internet.
The Defendant further stated that he was present
when Victim 1 put the bag over her head and that he had, in fact, turned on the nitrogen gas. The Defendant
also confessed that he held the bag closed after Victim 1 put it over her head and continued to hold the bag
as he turned on the nitrogen gas and the tank emptied.
The Defendant further confessed he checked
Victim 1's pulse after the nitrogen tank was empty and felt Victim 1 had no pulse.
The Defendant reported he knew what he did was wrong and illegal so he wore gloves during the incident
and when it was over, drove to a nearby store and disposed of the gloves and some other items that he did
not specify.
The Defendant stated he tried to rest, but couldn't and eventually called 911 several hours later.
Law enforcement was able to obtain video of the Defendant and Victim 1 buying the nitrogen tank and also
video of the Defendant disposing of the evidence at the nearby store.
Police officers were also able to
recover a copy of the receipt for the regulator and speak to a sales associate who remembered the
Defendant's purchase.
The Defendant is presently in custody.
2
