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AITKIN, Minn. — Two people were charged with murder on Sept. 20 following a monthslong investigation of a fentanyl overdose death in Aitkin County.

Kristina Marie Krone, 42, of Hinckley, and Stephen Michael Bochniak, 32, of Mora, are charged with third-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years and/or a $40,000 fine.

The Aitkin County Sheriff's Office responded to a medical call of an unresponsive male, reported at 9:02 p.m. June 18 to the 28000 block of 303rd Place in Malmo Township, southeast of Aitkin.

According to the news release and court documents, deputies, first responders and North Memorial Health Ambulance personnel responded to the scene and attempted lifesaving measures including CPR and Narcan administration. Those lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene around 9:40 p.m.

The victim’s girlfriend stated she bought a pizza after work and came home, noticing the main door of the garage was open with the light on. She reportedly found the victim in a kneeling position, bent over at the waist with his head against the ground and a beer in his hand. There was foil containing a burned substance near him.

Deputies arrived to find the victim lying on the ground with his back partially against a John Deere lawn tractor. Aitkin first responders arrived on scene and took over CPR.

Deputies observed a small empty bottle of Narcan on the ground, two hypodermic needles — one on the ground and one on an end table in the garage — and two pieces of foil on the end table next to the hypodermic needle. One piece of foil contained a black substance, and the other piece of foil contained a small white powder substance, believed to be fentanyl.

Due to evidence at the scene, it was believed the victim died of a controlled substance overdose, and the Aitkin-Itasca-Mille Lacs Violent Crimes Enforcement Team started an investigation.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner later determined the cause of death was fentanyl toxicity.

On June 25, investigators met with the girlfriend for an interview and learned she was introduced to Krone in the winter of 2023 by a relative.

She stated she had purchased fentanyl on six separate occasions over the last several months with Krone’s help. She stated she would purchase half a gram of fentanyl for $100, and Krone would keep half of the product for facilitating the purchase. She stated a majority of the purchases were done in public areas and involved a third party.

The girlfriend said on June 14, between 10 and 11 a.m., she contacted Krone to pick her up in Sandstone. They went to Dollar General, where she gave Krone $100 to purchase fentanyl. Krone entered into a white van in the parking lot to purchase a half-gram of fentanyl. When Krone came out of the van, Krone handed her the fentanyl. After traveling a short distance to another parking lot, she and Krone got into the van and smoked fentanyl.

Then on June 15, she stated the victim gave her $100 to purchase more fentanyl and she put in another $100. She then contacted the defendant to purchase more fentanyl. She was picked up by Krone in Hinckley behind Dollar General. Krone and the girlfriend traveled to an address on Commercial Avenue in Sandstone and met with Bochniak. She gave Bochniak $200 for one gram of fentanyl, which was wrapped in foil. The girlfriend said she smoked some fentanyl and then went back home and gave the majority of the fentanyl to the victim.

On June 25, investigators looked at a Facebook GoFundMe post made by Bochniak, who was requesting assistance raising money to get his vehicle back from Pine County. Investigators contacted East Central Minnesota VCET and learned Bochniak was stopped in Pine County, and a K-9 was utilized to conduct a sniff search of the vehicle. Fentanyl was located in Bochniak’s vehicle.

In Minnesota, Violent Crime Enforcement Teams were created to increase the identification and arrest of serious law violators and enhance the amount of law enforcement expertise available statewide for complex investigations that cross jurisdictional boundaries.

The Aitkin County Attorney’s Office issued a statement of probable cause on Sept. 20, and arrest warrants were issued.

Aitkin-Itasca-Mille Lacs Violent Crimes Enforcement Team Commander Greg Payment stated in a news release he wanted to inform the public fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine and any amount of fentanyl is considered deadly.

Overdoses across the country continue to rise. For more information or assistance with opioid addictions, visit .

Krone posted bond with conditions on Tuesday and is no longer in custody in the Aitkin County Jail. She is due in court on Oct. 5. As of Wednesday evening, Bochniak was in custody in the Aitkin County Jail and is due in court Thursday, Sept. 28.

Assisting on the investigation were the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the East Central MN Drug Task Force.