On June 15, 2026, Sixth Judicial District Judge Jill Eichenwald sentenced Tyler Edwards to 17 years in prison for the murder of Maxton Gudowski. Edwards was arrested in July of 2024, after firefighters found Gudowski deceased in a Lakeside apartment which someone had attempted to burn.
Edwards entered a guilty plea to 2nd Degree Murder on April 21, 2026. As part of his plea deal, charges for arson and for giving a false name to a police officer were dismissed.
Edwards had been on probation since 2024, after being convicted in Hennepin County for 3rd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. Edwards had been facing four years in prison for drugging and raping a woman in Minneapolis, but Judge Carolina Lamas sentenced Edwards to four years of probation in lieu of incarcerating him.
Edwards met Gudowski a few months later, when he moved to Duluth.
St. Louis County Prosecutor Nate Stumme read victim impact statements from Maxton’s father, stepmother, and two aunts into the court record. Mary Norton Larson, Maxton’s aunt, read a statement written by his mother, Lisa Gudowski:
I’m Maxton’s mother Lisa. I’m reading this from myself and from my son Spencer, Maxton’s brother.
Our Maxton always put family and friends first. He loved going to movies, eating out at our favorite restaurants, especially pizza, gyros, and sushi. Maxton loved going to his Nana’s house to visit and hanging out with family there.
Maxton loved visiting his Mimi and Papa and watching movies and shows with them. Lot of food was always involved at both places, which he enjoyed. Maxton loved going to the Boundary Waters and spending time with his Dad, Brother Spencer, Cousin Dayton and Uncle Shaun. Lots of fun stories to hear about.
Maxton enjoyed taking walks, going to Brighton Beach and great talks and driving up the North Shore. Those are some of my best memories with Maxton.
Maxton and Spencer had a special bond together for music, gaming, movies, and fun shenanigans. They were always laughing, telling funny stories, or reciting movie one-liners. Spencer has been extremely struggling with the senseless violent murder of his brother.
This heinous crime has left such a huge void in our lives and continues to weigh heavily on our minds and our hearts. We continually struggle, especially with sleeping, and it continues to consume us on a daily basis.
Time is not on our side. Whoever came up with [the saying] “Time heals”—time doesn’t heal. This huge loss of Maxton is forever and our lives are forever changed.
It’s hard to wrap our heads around how someone could do this to our Maxton, always funny, kind, always helping others, always enjoying life to the fullest, living a simple life, always putting everyone else first. The disregard for Maxton’s life, and for all of the other lives living in Maxton’s apartment building, is absolutely mind-blowing—that Tyler could be so demonic.
We’re asking you today to please do the right things and uphold this 17-year sentence, with no option of early release. Tyler needs the highest parole/probation time added to his sentence that you’re able to implement.
Tyler is a dangerous repeat offender that never should have been out on the streets. In his prior offense, it was recommended he serve a four-year prison sentence. Instead, he received a slap on the wrist and received probation, which he violated and then went on to do more heinous crimes and killed our Maxton.
We wouldn’t be sitting here today if the system did the right thing. Maxton’s senseless murder is the repercussion of not implementing a proper sentence.
Maxton’s Nana is living in constant sadness ever since this senseless, selfish act of violence, that took her grandson’s life. She believes in Karma and prays for the ultimate punishment and for difficult roads ahead for Tyler.
Maxton’s Mimi and Papa are so saddened by the void of not having Maxton here. It affects them on a daily basis. Papa has gone through extreme depression, which creates concern and health issues for all of us. Our entire family now lives with sadness, stress, anxiety, depression and the huge absence of Maxton not being here with us.
Maxton, we fight because of you. We speak because you no longer can. We show up in court and face the impossible, because your life matters. No sentence, no verdict, will ever bring you back.
Holding you in our hearts and keeping your memory alive is how we continue to get through our days.
You are forever loved, Maxton Keith. Always with us.
Edwards was sentenced to an additional 30 months in prison for failing to register as a predatory offender, and Judge Eichenwald added 90 days to his sentence for damaging a fire sprinkler in the St. Louis County Jail. These sentences will run concurrently with his longer sentence.
After pleading guilty to the sprinkler damage, Edwards said briefly, “I hit it with my fist.” The criminal complaint provides more details of the event which occurred on Christmas Day, 2025.
At approximately 1023 hours, Correctional Officer Egan-Ostroskol entered the Sigma Housing Unit to retrieve cleaning supplies. Upon entering the unit, water was observed on the floor coming from Cell 1B1 that houses Edwards. When CO Egan-Otroskol approached Cell 1B1, they observed Edwards damaging the sprinkler head. Edwards then called CO Egan-Ostroskol a “bitch-ass nigga” and told him to “suit up.” At this time a “Code Yellow” was issued and the unit was placed on lockdown. Once the unit was locked down, more COs had arrived to assist in handcuffing Edwards. Edwards continued to yell profanities at jail staff. Edwards was then given multiple commands to place his hands through the food pass to be handcuffed by Sergeant Lyons. Edwards did not comply and responded with, “No, suit up.” At this time Sergeant Lyons opened the food pass door and deployed his Sabre Red Oleoresin Capsicum aerosol irritant spray to Edwards’ face and back. Edwards continued to yell profanities at jail staff, but eventually complied and placed his hands through the food pass door to be handcuffed. Edwards was then removed from the Cell 1B1 and placed into Cell I105.
After hearing the victim impact statements from Maxton Gudowski’s family, Judge Eichenwald asked Edwards if he wished to make a statement.
Edwards remained quiet for a long moment, then said, “My sorry won’t bring Max back.” He said he had been under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms on the night he murdered Maxton. He claimed not to remember committing the crime.
Edwards complained that his prior crime (drugging and raping the woman in Minneapolis) was being “used against him” by prosecutors. He said he wasn’t the kind of person who murdered people. “I wake up every day wondering what happened. What am I?”
Edwards appeared to answer his own question as he concluded his statement. “I am filled with demonic-ness, and I’m sorry.”
Judge Eichenwald credited Edwards for 642 days he has already served in jail. If he serves his time without violations, Edwards will become eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or a little over 11 years.
The family of Maxton Gudowski has established a charity run in his memory. The 2nd Annual Maxton Gudowski Memorial 5K Run/Walk will be held on July 19, 2026, beginning at Portman Park at 9 a.m. Proceeds will benefit Cooper Community Care and Save Haven Shelter & Resource Center.
