Episode 015 - The Unexplained Death of Andrew Sadek

Twenty year old Andrew Sadek was a student attending the North Dakota State College of Science in 2014.  A bright student with plans for the future, Andrew found himself on the wrong side of the law when he was arrested for selling $80 worth of marijuana to a drug informant operating on campus.  Andrew was given a choice:  face felony charges for distribution of drugs or work for the police as a confidential informant to help catch bigger dealers and buyers.  

Unsure of what to do, the twenty year old agreed.  However, shortly after agreeing to work for the police, Andrew mysteriously vanished.  Security camera footage at his school showed Andrew leaving his dorm at 2am wearing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers hoodie and carrying a black backpack.  It would take two months for Andrew to be found, and when he was the circumstances were beyond bizarre.  

A police dive team performing a routine training exercise in the Red River near Breckenridge, Minnesota, came upon Andrew’s body.  The twenty year old had died of a gunshot wound, though the weapon was not found despite several dive team searches.  At the time it couldn’t be determined whether or not the shot had been self-inflicted.  Perhaps more bizarrely, however, was that Andrew’s Tampa bay hoodie was not on his body, he was wearing a jacket no one recognized and the backpack he wore had been filled with rocks.  Andrew’s wallet was also missing.

While Andrew’s family argued that the case had been poorly investigated, dismissing Andrew’s death as a suicide, authorities claimed to have done a thorough investigation.  A gun of the same caliber used to kill Andrew was missing from the family home, though his parents argued he had no history of depression, left no note and was just two weeks shy of graduation.  It was their belief he would not have taken his own life.

Fighting for justice, Andrew’s family were heavily involved in the drafting of Andrew’s Law which afforded more rights to confidential informants.  

CASE UPDATE

Two years after Andrew’s death, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Richland County and Sheriff Jason Weber.  The lawsuit argued that not only had law enforcement failed to train Andrew or offer protection during his work as a confidential informant, but that they had also lied about the potential charges and legal repercussions for his arrest.  

Weber’s lawyer argued that the Sadek’s had been very vocal in the media and requested that the judge issue a gag order, though ultimately the judge dismissed the motion.

In April of 2018 the Sadek’s lawyer requested a postponement since neither Andrew’s school nor the investigating agencies had provided them with evidence and files they had requested.  This motion was granted.  

In July of 2019 the Sadek’s wrongful death suit was dismissed.  Southeast District Judge Jay Schmitz explained his decision writing, in part, “One can only speculate, almost endlessly:  was Andrew’s death a suicide or homicide?  If it was homicide, who did it?  What was the killer, or killer’s motivation?  Was Andrew killed during a drug deal?  If so, was it related to his role as a confidential informant?”

As of this time the North Dakota Supreme Court is reviewing the judge’s decision to dismiss the case, though no formal decision has yet been determined.  

A lawyer for the defense, Corey Quinton told the media “The undisputed facts of this case are that we will never likely know what, when, where, how or why.”

For the Sadek’s they want justice for their son and an admission that the situation was handled improperly, which may have led to the death of Andrew.  

Should the Supreme Court reverse the dismissal the case would be sent to district court.  Police say the investigation remains open and active.