A man who carved three totem poles used in Princess Diana’s Memorial Garden has been charged with murdering his wife after plotting a new life with his mistress on Facebook.
Carl Muggli is said to have killed wife Linda by dropping a 2,900lbs wooden pole on her as they carved it together in the grounds of their country home.
In the weeks before her death he allegedly sent a string of messages on Facebook to his mistress telling how he loved her and wanted to move in with her.
Together: Carl Muggli allegedly killed wife Linda by dropping a 2,900lbs wooden pole on her as they carved it together in the grounds of their country home
And on the day before he ‘murdered’ his wife he wrote to his other woman: ‘I want us together to live our lives as we seek...I am yours. We are one!’
Police never stopped looking into Mrs Muggli’s death, which happened last November, and now seven months on they have arrested Muggli, 49.
He and his wife, 61, became famous for carving three totem poles which were used in the Indian Village section of Princess Diana’s Memorial Garden in Kensington Gardens, London.
They had been working together on the business since 1990 on their property just outside Voyageurs National Park on the carvings which range from 16ft to 50ft.
But their idyllic home life in Ray, Minnesota was shattered when Muggli is said to have killed her with one of their totem poles.
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According to a complaint filed by the Koochiching County Attorney, police arrived on the scene to find the giant carving across her chest and blood pouring from underneath her.
She was taken to hospital but died of her injuries on November 26 last year.
In an interview with reporters soon after Muggli claimed: ‘The totem we were working on was progressing wonderful.
‘I mean, it was just coming really good, and we were laughing and joking and having a great conversation, just …and then it was over.’
He later told investigators he had his back to his wife when the ‘accident’ happened - but after a tip off they began to look into his ‘very intimate’ messages on Facebook to a woman only identified as MLG from Alabama.
Fame: Muggli carved three totem poles used in the Indian Village section of Princess Diana's Memorial Garden in Kensington Gardens, London
On October 23 she wrote to him: ‘I love you and want this all even to be the only one within your life and I well Marry you I just do not want problems we can handle this all but we will do it right for all parties. You can always reach me as I can you just carefully.’
Muggli is said to have replied: ‘In case you forgot, I LOVE YOU.’
The day before his wife’s death, November 25, he is said to have messaged her: ‘I want us together to live our lives as we seek.
‘With all the Love, Passion, Affection, Emotion that we have. These feeling are directly from my soul. For I am with you. I am yours. We are one!’
On that day he also allegedly sent an email to an estate agent in Texas asking for suggestions of properties where he and his mistress could live - and callously claimed her was already divorced.
‘I am looking for a country home on 5 or more acres to rent or lease with option to buy. (my current situation–divorce-will not allow buying),’ he wrote.
On November 30, just hours after attending a memorial service to his wife, Muggli is said to have sent his mistress a link to a property in Texas which he suggested they could move in to together.
MLG replied: ‘This is good and yes I’ll look, thank U, I’m loving it, all properties good, yes, very good, you well know watch one feel it in your heart, follow your heart as I have been doing. I love you baby call when can, Hugs and Kisses, holding you tight, I will not let you go, love you my husband’.
Muggli was arrested in Stockdale, Texas and will now be extradited to Minnesota where he faces one count of second degree murder.
It is not clear if he was living with his mistress at the time.
When officers from the Koochiching County Sheriff's later tried to recreate the circumstances which led to Mrs Muggli’s death, as told by her husband, they were unable to do so.
Five times the detectives arranged the pole in the way that Muggli had said, but they could not get it to fall in the way that he claimed.
They also found that the totem pole in question had been ‘stained or polyurethane-coated’, implying there was an attempt to cover up evidence.
Since starting their business the Mugglis opened a gift shop and a petting zoo on their property.
Their Native Veterans Totem, honouring American Indians who served in the military, stands outside the Veterans Administration hospital in Brockton, Massachusetts.
There is also a Muggli totem pole outside Chalet Geronimo in the French Alps.
Jeffrey Naglosky, Koochiching County Attorney, said: ‘Mr Muggli is the first and only person to be arrested and charged over Mrs Muggli’s death.
‘Due to the diligent work of the Koochiching County Sheriff's department, more information was uncovered that led us to believe that Mr Muggli was in fact the perpetrator of this crime’.
Carl Muggli is said to have killed wife Linda by dropping a 2,900lbs wooden pole on her as they carved it together in the grounds of their country home.
In the weeks before her death he allegedly sent a string of messages on Facebook to his mistress telling how he loved her and wanted to move in with her.
Together: Carl Muggli allegedly killed wife Linda by dropping a 2,900lbs wooden pole on her as they carved it together in the grounds of their country home
And on the day before he ‘murdered’ his wife he wrote to his other woman: ‘I want us together to live our lives as we seek...I am yours. We are one!’
Police never stopped looking into Mrs Muggli’s death, which happened last November, and now seven months on they have arrested Muggli, 49.
He and his wife, 61, became famous for carving three totem poles which were used in the Indian Village section of Princess Diana’s Memorial Garden in Kensington Gardens, London.
They had been working together on the business since 1990 on their property just outside Voyageurs National Park on the carvings which range from 16ft to 50ft.
But their idyllic home life in Ray, Minnesota was shattered when Muggli is said to have killed her with one of their totem poles.
More...
Woman shows incredible mercy as her son's killer moves in next door
According to a complaint filed by the Koochiching County Attorney, police arrived on the scene to find the giant carving across her chest and blood pouring from underneath her.
She was taken to hospital but died of her injuries on November 26 last year.
In an interview with reporters soon after Muggli claimed: ‘The totem we were working on was progressing wonderful.
‘I mean, it was just coming really good, and we were laughing and joking and having a great conversation, just …and then it was over.’
He later told investigators he had his back to his wife when the ‘accident’ happened - but after a tip off they began to look into his ‘very intimate’ messages on Facebook to a woman only identified as MLG from Alabama.
Fame: Muggli carved three totem poles used in the Indian Village section of Princess Diana's Memorial Garden in Kensington Gardens, London
On October 23 she wrote to him: ‘I love you and want this all even to be the only one within your life and I well Marry you I just do not want problems we can handle this all but we will do it right for all parties. You can always reach me as I can you just carefully.’
Muggli is said to have replied: ‘In case you forgot, I LOVE YOU.’
The day before his wife’s death, November 25, he is said to have messaged her: ‘I want us together to live our lives as we seek.
‘With all the Love, Passion, Affection, Emotion that we have. These feeling are directly from my soul. For I am with you. I am yours. We are one!’
On that day he also allegedly sent an email to an estate agent in Texas asking for suggestions of properties where he and his mistress could live - and callously claimed her was already divorced.
‘I am looking for a country home on 5 or more acres to rent or lease with option to buy. (my current situation–divorce-will not allow buying),’ he wrote.
On November 30, just hours after attending a memorial service to his wife, Muggli is said to have sent his mistress a link to a property in Texas which he suggested they could move in to together.
MLG replied: ‘This is good and yes I’ll look, thank U, I’m loving it, all properties good, yes, very good, you well know watch one feel it in your heart, follow your heart as I have been doing. I love you baby call when can, Hugs and Kisses, holding you tight, I will not let you go, love you my husband’.
Muggli was arrested in Stockdale, Texas and will now be extradited to Minnesota where he faces one count of second degree murder.
It is not clear if he was living with his mistress at the time.
When officers from the Koochiching County Sheriff's later tried to recreate the circumstances which led to Mrs Muggli’s death, as told by her husband, they were unable to do so.
Five times the detectives arranged the pole in the way that Muggli had said, but they could not get it to fall in the way that he claimed.
They also found that the totem pole in question had been ‘stained or polyurethane-coated’, implying there was an attempt to cover up evidence.
Since starting their business the Mugglis opened a gift shop and a petting zoo on their property.
Their Native Veterans Totem, honouring American Indians who served in the military, stands outside the Veterans Administration hospital in Brockton, Massachusetts.
There is also a Muggli totem pole outside Chalet Geronimo in the French Alps.
Jeffrey Naglosky, Koochiching County Attorney, said: ‘Mr Muggli is the first and only person to be arrested and charged over Mrs Muggli’s death.
‘Due to the diligent work of the Koochiching County Sheriff's department, more information was uncovered that led us to believe that Mr Muggli was in fact the perpetrator of this crime’.
