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Bail raised on suspect in alleged murder plot against Minneapolis Police CSI

If the Taekwondo master charged with first-degree attempted murder is able to make bail, he will need to wear an ankle bracelet for electronic home monitoring.
Credit: Hennepin Co. Jail
Timothy Amacher is the father of Lenway's child, and according to court documents, the pair's relationship involved domestic violence and harassment.

MINNEAPOLIS — Timothy Amacher, who police believe plotted to have his girlfriend murder the mother of his child, now has a bail amount that matches his co-defendant, Colleen Larson.

Initially, Referee Lyonel Norris set Amacher's bail at $250,000, while Larson would need to pay $300,000 and agree to electronic home monitoring upon release. 

A different judge — Shereen Askalani — agreed to raise Amacher's amount after prosecutors requested a new hearing. The victim, Minneapolis Police forensic scientist Nicki Lenway, expressed fear of Amacher and filed a new restraining order.

Amacher and Larson are both charged with first-degree attempted murder after Lenway was shot twice outside of a supervised parenting center on University Avenue near the U of M.

A Minneapolis Police detective wrote in a search warrant filed this week that he believes that Amacher "manipulated Larson" into driving his Dodge Ram truck to the parenting center and shooting Lenway while Amacher was inside the facility, so he would have an alibi.

Amacher and Lenway share a 5-year-old son and their custody battle has been contentious. Amacher's rights were recently reduced to supervised visits only, and the staff at FamilyWise would keep Amacher in one area while walking the child to Lenway in a designated pickup location, so the ex-couple would not interact.

Minneapolis Police Sgt. Matt Wente emphasizes in a search warrant affidavit that, because of that arrangement, "he would be unable to physically carry out the attack. But Amacher would have the knowledge of how and when to plan an attack."

The affidavit reveals that Amacher registered a license on a new black Dodge Ram truck the day before the shooting, and when asked by police which vehicles he owns, he did not mention the pickup. After reviewing surveillance video, police believe it is the same truck driven by the shooter.

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