Details Emerge About Victim In Deadly Northfield Shooting

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (WCCO) -- Details are emerging about the first person to be shot and killed in Northfield in over two decades.

Officers say 61-year-old Lilly Kirckof was killed in her home Sunday morning. Officers say Kirckof and her roommate, who is her 70s, were the only people in the home when the shooting took place.

Kirckof's roommate called 911, and officers then took the roommate into custody. However, investigators say they don't have reason to keep her in custody.

Kai Thorson, a longtime friend of Kirckof's, said he hadn't noticed much of any tension between the two women. He did say that they were arguing over selling the house.

"They were arguing over what they thought the price of the house should be," Thorson said. "This one thought it should be up here, the other one thought it should be down here."

Thorson said Kirckof had a bold personality and passion for cars, especially an Eleanor Mustang she built.

"$100,000 car, took it to car shows," he said. "She won on a lot of first place trophies."

Until 2000, Kirckof was known as Marshall Kirckof.

Investigators have released little information on exactly how Kirckof died, but say self-defense has not been ruled out as the cause of the shooting. They also say it may take more than a month to examine all of the evidence.

Police Chief Monte Nelson is asking the community to be patient.

"We hope that members of our community can understand, be patient and understanding that this is playing out in a different way than a fatal shooting may normally play out," he said.

Investigators say they interviewed Kirckof's roommate again on Monday. She has yet to be identified.

Police say the shooting poses no danger to the general public.