Brown County District Court

• Cheyenne Amanda Murdock, 28, New Ulm, was charged with three counts of felony theft by swindle and one gross misdemeanor theft by swindle charge Thursday. A remote Zoom hearing was set for 10 a.m. July 17.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police Sr. Investigator Chris Moellenhoff received a Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center report Dec. 19 involving an 88-year-old vulnerable adult (VA) who lived in a Sleepy Eye nursing home. The report read that VA is suffering from frailty of aging, impaired memory and sight.

Murdock of New Ulm was named as the alleged perpetrator. The report noted $19,400 worth of checks that were made out to VA and ones VA wrote and signed.

The report mentioned VA’s niece, Witness 1, listed as VA’s power of attorney, who had VA’s checks, credit/debit cards, wallet and is manipulative with VA.

A Brown County Human Services Adult Protection worker (AP worker) was assigned to the case. The AP worker met with VA and wrote notes from the meeting.

Investigator Moellenhoff authored a subpoena to Wells Fargo bank for VA’s bank statements including checks and found 16 checks written to Murdock totaling $22,300. Check memo lines included misc., cat food, cleaning, secretary, office work and sec. work from Feb. 2021 to Sept. 2023.

Investigator Moellenhoff tired to contact Murdock to set up an interview. A return message advised Murdock retained an attorney regarding the matter and to direct all questions to the lawyer.