Dennis Mathisen, a longtime business associate of Jacobs, told the newspaper that the deaths were a murder-suicide and said that he had learned of them from the couple’s son, Mark.<doc-sep>Orono Police Chief Correy Farniok confirmed on Wednesday that two adults were found dead inside the residence with a handgun on the bed Two people were found dead inside the multimillion-dollar home of renowned businessman and former part-owner of the Minnesota Vikings Irwin Jacobs this week, following a possible murder-suicide. The bodies were discovered in a bed next to a handgun by a routine visitor of the Minnesota residence on Wednesday morning, Orono Police Chief Correy Farniok confirmed in a press conference. Get push notifications with news, features and more. “Officers with the Orono Police Department made entry into the home. Upon entering, we found two individuals deceased — one adult male, one adult female — they were both inside the house and a gun was recovered,” Farniok said, adding that he was waiting for the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office to officially release their identities. Irwin’s company, Jacobs Management Corp., later released a statement on behalf of the couple’s five children confirming Irwin, 77, and his wife of almost six decades, Alexandra, had died. “Our family is shocked and devastated by the death of our parents, Irwin and Alexandra Jacobs,” read the statement, which was obtained by The Star Tribune. “We are heartbroken by this loss, and we ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time.” A representative for Irwin’s company did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. Farniok also noted that police felt there was “no immediate threat to the community” and it was a “contained situation” with no current suspects — stopping short of describing the deaths as a murder-suicide. “This is an active investigation,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “We are releasing very minimal investigation due to the fact that this investigation is ongoing, but we do want to indicate that we feel there is no immediate threat to the community.” “We don’t see this very often — in any of our communities, this doesn’t happen,” Farniok added. “We are taking this seriously. We’re looking at it from every aspect.” • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Though police were unable to confirm the details around the case, Dennis Mathisen, one of Irwin’s longtime business partners, told The Star Tribune that the prominent businessman had killed his wife of 57 years before turning the gun on himself. “[Alexandra] had been in a wheelchair for the last year or so and had signs of dementia. Irwin was just distraught over her condition,” he told the publication, adding that he learned of the tragedy after speaking to Irwin’s secretary and son Mark Jacobs. Mathisen also said he last spoke to his friend just a few days ago and he seemed “upbeat.” Denver Post Archives Irwin L. Jacobs | Credit: Denver Post via Getty Images Irwin was well-known in the business world — in part due to his aggressive techniques of buying and liquidating struggling companies, earning himself the nickname of “Irv the Liquidator,” according to The Star Tribune. In the 1980s, he owned a minority share of the Minnesota Vikings but had sold it by 1991. Throughout his life, he also owned Grain Belt Beer Company and boatmaking company Genmar Holdings Co. — both of which he had since sold, the outlet reports. At the time of his death, Irwin was the owner of soap and household products company J.R. Watkins Co. in Winona and retail merchandise trading company Jacobs Trading Co. The father of five was also very much involved in giving back and donated $8 million to the Special Olympics in 1991 — a cause that was particularly important to him and his wife, who shared a daughter with cerebral palsy, according to Fast Forward. The couple had lived on their lakefront estate for almost 50 years. In 2014, they put the home on the market for $22 million. Irwin told The Star Tribune that he decided to sell the home, despite hoping he would die there one day, because “didn’t want to burden my wife if something happened to me.”<doc-sep>Authorities are investigating the deaths of two people found at the Lake Minnetonka mansion of Irwin Jacobs, a prominent Minnesota businessman who once owned a minority share in the Minnesota Vikings NFL team. Orono, Minnesota, police say the bodies of a man and woman were discovered in a bed along with a gun after authorities received a call at 8:31 a.m. Wednesday. Police have not released their names, but said no suspects are being sought. Dennis Mathisen, a longtime friend of the family, told the Star Tribune that Alexandra Jacobs, who had been Irwin's wife for 57 years and mother to their five children, "had been in a wheelchair for the last year or so and had signs of dementia. Irwin was just distraught over her condition." He said he spoke with Irwin Jacobs about three days ago, and "he was upbeat. I talked with his son Mark yesterday, and he talked to both of them. He said Irwin seemed up." The Hennepin County Crime Lab was called to the scene, as was a hearse. Irwin Jacobs, 77, had a stake in the Vikings in the 1980s before selling his share. He gained notoriety nationally in the 1980s as a corporate raider who bought out underperforming companies at a profit. He was known to some as "Irv the Liquidator." One of his most notable local transactions was his purchase of the Grain Belt beer company and brewery in the mid-1970s. He later sold the beer brand to G. Heileman Brewing Company and the brewery and real estate assets to the city of Minneapolis. He has owned J.R. Watkins Co., which makes soaps and other household products, for more than 40 years. He also owns Jacobs Trading Co., a retailer specializing in liquidation of merchandise. Jacobs also owned local boat maker Genmar Holdings Co., which went through bankruptcy restructuring beginning in 2009.<doc-sep>
Several sources close to the family confirmed to KARE 11 that the dead are Irwin Jacobs and his wife, Alexandra. ORONO, Minn. — Two people have been found dead at the home of prominent Twin Cities businessman Irwin L. Jacobs. Several sources close to the family confirmed to KARE 11 that the dead are Irwin Jacobs and his wife, Alexandra. Dennis Mathisen, a longtime business partner of Jacobs, also confirmed the deaths to KARE 11. He said he received a phone call with the news, from a Jacobs family member. The Jacobs family released this statement Wednesday evening: "Our family is shocked and devastated by the death of our parents, Irwin and Alexandra Jacobs. We are heartbroken by this loss, and we ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time." Orono police were called to the Lake Minnetonka-area home at 1700 Shoreline Drive in Orono, at just after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Orono police say they found the bodies of a male and a female at the home. Police say the two people were found in bed, and a gun was also found on the bed. "Taking this seriously and looking at it from every aspect," said Orono Police Chief Correy Farniok. Police say there is no risk to the public. The bodies have not yet been officially identified and investigators are processing the scene. People said the call came from someone who went to the house "routinely" on their rounds. In 1985, Jacobs was billed a "Minneapolis takeover artist" by Fortune. But the Wall Street deal-maker later found a new love in the boat business, starting with Larson Boats in Little Falls and growing that into a world-wide network of companies. His Genmar Holdings became one of the country's biggest boatbuilders, and filed for bankruptcy in 2009. He was 77 when he died. He was well-known in the boating industry. "Certainly some of the big national brands were under his leadership and he was an important person in the whole industry," said Dave Briggs, President of Wayzata Marine.