Austin man being held on $2 million bail for felony 2nd degree murder charge in Mower County District Court

An Austin man who was taken into custody on September 3rd on a felony murder charge after a homicide at a northwest Austin residence early on the morning of July 31st made his first appearance in Mower County District Court Wednesday after being extradited back to Minnesota.  

27-year-old Me’darian Ledale McGruder was booked into the Mower County jail early Tuesday evening, and he is facing charges of 2nd-degree murder with intent not premeditated, 2nd-degree murder without intent as well as being a violent felon in possession of a firearm.  A complaint warrant for a felony charge of 2nd degree murder had been issued for McGruder in relation to the homicide that occured early on the morning of Saturday, July 31st  inside a residence on the 100 block of 10th St. NW. 

Austin Police officers responded to a 9-1-1 call shortly before 2 a.m. that morning concerning a woman who had been shot inside the residence, and responding officers and EMS personnel provided aid to the woman at the scene, who was later identified as 20-year old Tyesha Tahne Gills of Austin.  Authorities reported that Gills was then transported to Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin, where she later died.

McGruder was later arrested in the state of Mississippi by the U.S. Marshall’s Service and local authorities there, and was then extradited back to Minnesota.  McGruder’s bail was set Wednesday at $2 million with no conditions and $1 million with conditions. 

McGruder’s next appearance in Mower County District Court has been scheduled for October 18th.