Minnesota Teachers Dead in Suspected Murder-Suicide, Leaving Two Young Children Without a Mother

A Minnesota community is mourning the tragic deaths of two local teachers after authorities ruled their passing a suspected murder-suicide, leaving two young children without their mother.

According to the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, 32-year-old Crystal Marschel was fatally shot by her boyfriend, John Gans, 34, on July 18, before he turned the gun on himself. Deputies recovered a .40-caliber handgun at the scene in Pierz, Minnesota.

The couple was discovered during a welfare check after Marschel missed a court appearance related to a driving-while-impaired charge. Gans, a former St. John’s University football player, was also due in court the same day for a hearing linked to an ongoing divorce but never appeared.

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Marschel died from a gunshot wound to the head, officially ruling her death a homicide, while Gans’ death was ruled a suicide.

The tragedy has left Marschel’s two young children, ages 3 and 5, without their mother. A GoFundMe page created for the family described her as “a warm, vibrant soul” whose life was “tragically cut short due to domestic violence.”

“We are heartbroken to share the devastating loss of Crystal, a loving young mother whose life was tragically cut short,” the page reads. “She loved fiercely, laughed freely, and put her children at the center of her world. She dreamed of watching them grow, learn, and thrive. That dream has been stolen.”

The fundraiser states that donations will support the children’s childcare, counseling, and living expenses as their father, Austen, steps into the role of a single parent while grieving.

Both Marschel and Gans were educators in the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District. Superintendent Brad Bergstrom confirmed that Gans had been a math teacher in the district from 2013 until 2024, and Marschel taught physical education from 2019 until 2024, according to the St. Cloud Times.

In a statement, the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office said:

“The deaths of the two residents in the city of Pierz, MN have been ruled a murder/suicide. … Upon arrival, two bodies were discovered and have been identified as 32-year-old Crystal Marschel of Pierz, MN and her boyfriend 34-year-old John Gans of Rice, MN. Both individuals died of gunshot wounds.”

The case underscores the devastating impact of domestic violence, which has left a family shattered and a community grieving.

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