Minnesota Man Sentenced to Probation for 3rd Degree Murder

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A Holdingford man who pleaded guilty to selling methamphetamine and fentanyl to another man who overdosed has been sentenced.

Thirty-two-year-old Cody Johannes pleaded guilty to one count of 3rd-degree murder in June. He was given a seven-year stayed prison sentence. Johannes served 167 days in the county jail and will be on probation for 25 years.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Stearns County District Court, Johannes sold the victim the drugs in November 2024. The victim's body was found two days later, after his brother called St. Cloud Police for a welfare check.

Police say they found the man's body in the bedroom of an apartment with drug paraphernalia in his hand, commonly used to smoke fentanyl pills, and a piece of tin foil nearby with what appeared to be burn lines.

An autopsy of the man showed he died of drug toxicity from the presence of fentanyl, xylazine, and methamphetamine.

Court records show investigators conducted a data extraction of the victim's phone, which they said showed text messages between the victim and Johannes discussing drug sales. One of those conversations specifically discussed a drug transaction on the morning of the man's death. Police say phone records show Johannes is the only person the victim contacted about getting the drugs.