Former Janesville mayor murdered

Mark Novak, who served as mayor of Janesville from 2011-2013, died after being attacked in his home in Bloomington last week. 

Novak, 74, experienced multiple sharp and blunt force injuries, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office.

Pamela Novak, his wife, 72, was seriously injured in the attack which occurred in the early-morning hours of Thursday, August 24. 

Novak served one term as mayor of Janesville. The Novaks have lived in Bloomington since 2013. Both were active volunteers while they lived in Janesville according to Janesville City administrator Clinton Rogers. 

“Mark will be missed by many friends in our community,” Rogers said in a Star Tribune interview. “We hope for a speedy recovery for Pam.”

Police responded to a 911 caller at 5 a.m.  Thursday; the caller stated there was someone in the house, according to a news release distributed by the Bloomington Police Department. 

Police went to the caller's home on 105th Street near Oak Grove Middle School, and discovered the woman on the floor inside the home just as 44-year-old Adam Roring was spotted climbing out a window and was arrested. Shortly thereafter, Mark Novak was found dead inside the home. Both victims appeared to have been beaten and stabbed.

Both were taken by ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), where Mark Novak was pronounced dead. By Sunday evening, Pamela was determined to be in satisfactory condition, according to an HCMC spokesperson.

Roring — whom Facebook posts claim to be a nephew to Pamela — was arrested on suspicion of murder Thursday morning and was in the Hennepin County jail as of Sunday. He has been charged with murder in the second degree-not premeditated. Sentencing guidelines for the charge include up to 40 years for murder and 20 for attempted murder. Roring does not appear to have a significant criminal history in Minnesota.

A gofundme page set up for the Novak family had raised more than $20,000 as of Wednesday evening.