No Charges Will Be Filed in Connection with Death on Slater Road

No charges will be filed against Eagan resident Samuel Walter Petersen, who was arrested in connection with death of his roommate, Jonathan Lahr, Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced on Thursday.

The decisions follows a months-long investigation into the circumstances surrounding Lahr's Jan. 1 death. Lahr died after an altercation of some kind at the apartment on he shared with Petersen, which is on Slater Road, just over the Burnsville-Eagan border. Police say Petersen, 28, punched Lahr, 36, in the head, causing facial injuries.

But in a news release issued Thursday afternoon, Backstrom said investigators did not have enough evidence to prove that Petersen wasn't acting in self-defense, and that Lahr could've died from one of several causes.

On Jan. 1, police say Lahr, Petersen, Petersen's father and another female friend went to four bars and consumed a significant amount of alcohol. At 11 p.m., the group was kicked out of a Bloomington bar. Prior to leaving, however, police say Lahr and Petersen got into a verbal argument—and that Petersen pushed Lahr to the ground.

Petersen later told investigators that the argument continued when he and Lahr returned to their apartment in Eagan, and that Lahr swung first, striking Petersen.

Petersen told police that, in return, he hit Lahr in the face, causing Lahr to fall to the ground. Thinking that Lahr had passed out, Petersen said he left the room to cool off, only to return 15 minutes later to learn that Lahr was not breathing. At that point, Petersen called 911.

Two other people present in the apartment did not witness the fight, according to Backstrom, nor was there any physical evidence contrary to Petersen's testimony.

Although the Hennepin County Medical Examiner classified the death as a homicide, officials concluded following an autopsy that Lahr could've died from a heart attack brought on by coronary artery blockage, alcohol-arrested breathing or an injury from the fight, Backstrom's office said.

"This decision should not be viewed as condoning violence in any form. Under these facts, however, we have concluded at this time that no crime can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in reference to this incident," Backstrom said.