BRAINERD, Minn — Court records reviewed by KARE 11 Investigates show a Brainerd man now facing murder and kidnapping charges could have already been behind bars at the time of the crimes.
Chad Aaron Aanerud, 35, is accused of a crime spree on Halloween night, prompting officials to issue an Amber Alert. He's accused of a dozen charges including murder and kidnapping after a man was found dead, and a pregnant woman and her four children were allegedly abducted at gunpoint.
He was charged earlier this month with two counts of second-degree murder, one count of criminal sexual conduct, five counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of arson.
But court documents show, it's not the first time Aanerud has been accused of a violent crime. His rap sheet, dating as far back as 2009, shows a pattern of offenses including threats, assaults against women, and probation violations.
The official records also show he received several breaks from the court.
In 2022, Aanerud was convicted of felony threats of violence against a different ex-girlfriend and her mom. He sent messages to both of them, saying he was coming to find her and watching her every move. Because of his prior criminal history, he was given a 29-month prison sentence.
Instead of serving that time right away, the courts issued what's called a "stay" — delaying his incarceration and allowing him to stay out of prison as long as he followed conditions including to "remain law-abiding, and of good behavior."
Just months before the most recent incident, Aanerud allegedly did not follow those rules. Records from July detail how he threatened to slit both his parent's throats, violating the terms of his probation.
Instead of lifting the stay and sending Aanerud to prison for more than two years, a judge sent him to jail for just 45 days. He was out of custody by October, when the murder and kidnapping happened.
On Halloween night, court documents allege Aanerud sexually assaulted a pregnant woman and threatened to shoot her four children before abducting the woman and her kids at gunpoint.
The complaint details how Aanerud began dumping "buckets" of fuel on a nearby home and stole guns before the woman told the children to run to a neighbor's house. The neighbor told authorities that the four children arrived at their home saying Aanerud was "robbing grandpa and grandma's house," according to the charging documents.
One of the neighbors living in the nearby home was dropped off at the residence where Aanerud was — and there was a confrontation, according to the criminal complaint.
The pregnant woman told officials that Aanerud had shot the man, later identified as 62-year-old Lyle Maske. Aanerud later told police that he accidentally shot Maske with a rifle when Maske "'stuck his nose' where it didn't belong," according to court documents.
After shooting Maske, the criminal complaint says Aanerud got in a van and drove to the neighboring residence where the four children had fled. The neighbor told officials that Aanerud "demanded" that they turn over "his kids," while threatening to kill one of the neighbors. At least one shot was fired at the home, according to court documents.
The neighbor then told authorities that Aanerud forced the pregnant woman and her four children into a minivan, and drove away at a high rate of speed.
After issuing an Amber Alert, law enforcement located the vehicle the next morning and arrested Aanerud. He admitted to taking the four children as well as starting the house fire. According to the criminal complaint, Aanerud claimed the homeowner's wife wanted him to "stage a burglary" and then burn down the home for the insurance money. However, court documents say that the homeowner told officials he didn't have insurance on the residence.
Aanerud is now being held on $3 million bail and is scheduled for an omnibus hearing on Tuesday.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and needs help, call 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 to be connected with someone from the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline includes more options for support and identifiers of abuse on its website.
For Minnesota residents, Cornerstone MN offers resources and safe housing for domestic abuse survivors and crime victims. Call 1-866-223-1111 or chat online with the crisis hotline.