What We Know About Allison’s Case

There are many moving parts in the investigation into Allison’s death, and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) has shared minimal information with her family, citing that it is an "active investigation."

On February 13th, around 6:30 p.m., Allison’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Chuck Foss, forced his way into her apartment. Allison had been trying desperately to distance herself from him, but Chuck subjected her to horrific abuse. As previously mentioned, he would strip her down before beating her, to humiliate her if she tried to run for help. On that night, she did manage to escape—fleeing to her neighbor Theresa’s apartment in only her bra and underwear after the assault began. 

Theresa let Allison in and called 911. When MPD arrived, Chuck was already "GOA" (gone on arrival), as they termed it. The officers took a report and informed Allison and Theresa that if Chuck returned before midnight on Friday the 16th, they could arrest him, as Minnesota’s 72-hour statute allows law enforcement to make a probable cause arrest within that window.

Just after midnight on February 17th, Allison returned to her apartment but heard someone inside. Rather than risk another beating, she sought refuge in another neighbor’s apartment. Jen let her in and called 911. The same two officers who had responded on Tuesday night arrived around 12:36 a.m. on Friday. They found Chuck inside Allison’s apartment, but because the 72-hour statute had passed by then, they were unable to arrest him. Instead, they simply made him leave, as noted in the police report.

On Thursday, February 22nd, Theresa and another building employee conducted a welfare check and tragically found Allison deceased in her apartment. MPD classified her death as "suspicious," and some neighbors were told that she likely passed away on **Saturday the 17th**, given the state of decomposition when her body was found.

Allison’s body was sent to the Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy, and the case was handed over to Sgt. Heyer in homicide around February 28th. However, the timeline remains unclear as the family has received little to no communication from law enforcement. 

The Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) organization got involved, urging Sgt. Heyer’s supervisor to improve communication with the family, as they had been left in the dark about crucial updates.

In the meantime, family members contacted the Hennepin County Medical Examiner (ME), who shared that Allison’s lungs showed pulmonary edema, which can be consistent with a drug overdose. However, she also had a subdural hematoma on the left side of her head. The ME noted that, in their opinion, the hematoma wasn’t significant enough to cause death, as her skull wasn’t fractured. The ME also mentioned the presence of drug paraphernalia in Allison’s apartment. Law enforcement is now awaiting toxicology results to determine if drugs were involved.

On March 1st, Sgt. Heyer called with an update, stating that they were waiting on the toxicology report, which would take six to eight weeks. He reiterated the presence of drug paraphernalia in the apartment.

Chuck and Allison’s History

Allison’s history with Chuck wasn’t long, but it was marked by escalating violence. She filed her first Order for Protection (OFP) against him in November 2022, although she later dismissed it in court. Since then, there were 6-7 documented cases of abuse that she endured at Chuck’s hands—none of which resulted in charges.

Allison filed three additional OFPs after the first one, the most recent being October 24th, 2023, and November 2nd, 2023. However, because law enforcement was unable to locate Chuck, the orders were never served, leaving her unprotected.

Key Points and Issues with the Investigation

1. Surveillance Footage: MPD did not immediately pull video footage from Allison’s apartment building to verify if Chuck had returned after the 17th. This was only done after intense pressure from the family.

2. Confession at Encampment: A 911 call was made by an anonymous individual claiming that Chuck returned to a homeless encampment and stated, "I think I hit her too hard this time and killed her."

3. Uncharged Abuse Reports: Despite multiple 911 calls, photos, and reports of abuse from Allison, none of these incidents were sent for charges—even those that would have constituted automatic felonies, such as those involving choking.

4. Unserved OFPs: Allison’s final OFPs were filed in October and November 2023, but they were never served, which might have prevented Chuck from being arrested on February 17th.

5. Text Messages: On February 17th, Allison texted her sisters, expressing fear that Chuck was stalking her and sitting outside her apartment. MPD could have corroborated this by pulling video footage from nearby buildings or conducting forensics on her phone. However, they failed to do so.

6. Missing Phone: Allison’s phone was not found in her apartment when she was discovered deceased. It was later turned in to MPD by a third party, Stephanie St. Marks, weeks after her death.

7. Toxicology Report: The toxicology report eventually came back and confirmed that Allison died from a **subdural hematoma**, but the manner of death remains "unknown."

8. PC Pickup for Chuck: Under pressure following the toxicology results, law enforcement issued a probable cause pickup for Chuck Foss. If located, he will be brought in for questioning.

9. Unlocked Apartment: When Allison’s body was discovered, her apartment door was unlocked—a strange detail given how fearful she was of Chuck. 

10. Contaminated Crime Scene: Chuck was seen entering Allison’s apartment after her death, as the apartment was never properly secured as a crime scene. This likely contaminated critical evidence.

11. Missing Records: There are inconsistencies in MPD’s records of Allison’s case. Not all reports are accessible under her name; sometimes, other identifying information like addresses has to be used to retrieve all documented incidents involving Chuck.

12. Chuck’s Criminal History: Chuck has an extensive criminal history, and it is clear that the system failed to protect Allison Jean Lussier.

This summary reflects the known details of Allison’s tragic case, as her family continues to fight for answers and justice. The system’s failures are evident, and the case underscores the urgent need for accountability, especially in protecting vulnerable Indigenous women.