Fridley man gets 8-year term in Aitkin manslaughter case in brother's death

AITKIN -- A 45-year-old Fridley man who pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in the death of his brother, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison Tuesday.

Paul Kimitch was sentenced in Aitkin County District Court by Judge David Ten Eyck to 98 months prison.

Paul Kimitch pleaded guilty July 20 to the reduced count of second-degree manslaughter. He was originally charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree assault after Aitkin County authorities found his brother, 49-year-old Todd Thomas Kimitch, also of Fridley, dead at a residence in rural McGregor.

Paul Kimitch was arrested Oct. 20, 2000, at his home in Fridley. Aitkin County deputies, searching for Todd Kimitch at the request of family members, discovered his body in a crawl space under a family cabin.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office determined Todd Kimitch died as a result of probable blunt trauma and gunshot wounds.

It is unknown how long Todd Kimitch was in the crawl space, though when deputies located the victim, it was reported the body was mummified.