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Former Part Owner Of Minnesota Vikings And Wife Found Dead In Possible Murder-Suicide
The bodies of Irwin and Alexandra Jacobs were found in a bed in their Lake Minnetonka mansion along with a gun.
A prominent Minnesota businessman who once owned a minority share in the Minnesota Vikings was found dead along with his wife at their mansion in Lake Minnetonka.
The bodies of a Irwin and Alexandra Jacobs were discovered in a bed along with a gun after authorities received a call at 8:31 a.m. Wednesday.
Dennis Mathisen, a longtime friend of the family, told the Star Tribune that Alexandra Jacobs, who had been Irwin's wife for 57 years and mother to their five children "had been in a wheelchair for the last year or so and had signs of dementia. Irwin was just distraught over her condition."
He said he spoke with Irwin Jacobs about three days ago, and "he was upbeat. I talked with his son Mark yesterday, and he talked to both of them. He said Irwin seemed up."
The Hennepin County Crime Lab was called to the scene. While it has not been confirmed as a murder-suicide, police are not seeking out any suspects or persons of interest.
Irwin Jacobs, 77, had a stake in the Vikings in the 1980s before selling his share. He gained notoriety nationally in the 1980s as a corporate raider who bought out underperforming companies and turning them for a profit. He was known to some as "Irv the Liquidator."
One of his most notable local transactions was his purchase of the Grain Belt beer company and brewery in the mid-1970s. He later sold the beer brand to G. Heileman Brewing Company and the brewery and real estate assets to the city of Minneapolis.
Alexandra was an accomplished painter, the Star Tribune reports.
She tended to avoided the limelight and was known as a dedicated mother and grandmother.
The couple’s children released a joint statement saying, “We are heartbroken by this loss, and we ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time,” the Daily Beast reports.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
