Cop killer needs to remain locked up

Claremont Police Chief Greg Lange got a knock at his door at home shortly after 2 a.m. on July 5, 1988. At the door was a frantic young woman asking for his help — her sister and her boyfriend were fighting, and the boyfriend had a gun. The woman was holding their 5-month-old baby girl at the time. Andrew had fired off a round in the house during their fighting. Greg immediately responded, letting Dodge County dispatch know he was responding to a domestic with a gun. The next thing dispatch heard was a frantic call from that young woman telling the dispatcher “They are beating up the cop. Please hurry.”
As Greg arrived at the home, just a few doors away from his he was immediately confronted by the suspect, Andrew Salinas. Andrew attacked Greg and soon his brother Robert joined in. Greg was overpowered, beaten with a shovel, and shot by Andrew. Greg was down at this point and unable to defend himself. Andrew took Greg’s duty weapon, and within an inch of Greg body, pointed it at Greg’s back and pulled the trigger shooting Greg a second time. The two brothers dumped Greg’s body in the bushes in the alley, took Greg’s gun, money, and keys. They stole his police car and fled. They abandoned Greg’s squad in a field by Blooming Prairie, stole a car from a local farm, and continued south to flee to Texas. They would be located and arrested in Missouri by its State Patrol and extradited back to Minnesota to be tried for Greg’s murder.
Greg was 39 years old. He’d been the chief in Claremont just two years. He came into that community knowing there were problems, knowing many there had trust issues with law enforcement. He came there to help. To help give that community a better sense of security. To be an active member of the community. He built relationships with adults and kids alike. Everyone knew him as Greg and the community had quickly embraced him as their Chief. They knew they could go to Greg anytime, day or night for help. They knew he would be there for them, and he was…until the end. That night Greg saved the life of that young woman and her 5-month-old baby girl, and in doing so gave his own. Greg left behind his wife Sue and 12-year-old son Christopher.
Andrew and Robert pled to Greg’s murder. Robert was sentenced to 18.5 years and was released from prison in 2007. Andrew, the brother who shot Greg, was sentenced to the maximum at the time— life with the possibility of parole. (Minnesota would change the sentencing guidelines in 1993 to life without the possibility of parole for killing a police officer.)
Fast forward to 2025, Andrew Salinas has been granted his fifth parole hearing on April 11. Sue Lange has fought since 1988 to keep her husband’s killer in prison. It’s been just two years since his last parole review hearing or life sentence review hearing as it’s called in Minnesota.
This will be the fifth time the Lange family has had to relive this nightmare, to relive the night that Greg responded in the middle of the night to a domestic to help save the life of a young women and her 5-month-old baby girl. A domestic where he would be beaten by two brothers, attacked with a shovel, and shot with his own duty weapon, and dumped in an alley to die.
Andrew Salinas made the decision to beat Greg, to shoot him once, and then shoot him a second time, at point blank range in the back to make sure he was dead. Greg was no longer a threat to them, Greg was gravely injured, he couldn’t fight back, but Andrew made the decision to shoot Greg one more time to ensure Greg would not survive — ensuring Sue would never speak to Greg again and Greg’s 12-year-old son Christopher would never get the chance to say goodbye to his dad, say goodbye to his hero. Ensuring this family and this community would forever mourn the loss of a man who was simply trying to help make Claremont a better place, a safer place to live and raise a family. Andrew sentenced this family to life without a husband, a father. Because of this, we believe he should serve no less than life.
Greg’s murder shattered any sense of security our communities in Dodge County had, especially Claremont. A shocking reality that violent crime didn’t only happen in the Twin Cities. If something like this could happen in this small community, it could happen anywhere.
For law enforcement, it was a reminder that this type of brutality and violence could happen, even in our small rural county of Dodge. It reminded us how volatile domestic calls can be. Reminded us that we can never let our guard down, even with people we know. Greg’s murder reminded us that every day we walk out that door to serve in our communities could be our last.
Today, 37 years later, we still consider domestics as one of the most dangerous calls for our deputies. We always send at least two deputies to respond. However, the closest deputy is not going to wait. He/she is going to arrive and make contact with those involved to try and de-escalate and help protect the victim (s). This is yet another example of how these men and women who serve are heroes. Heroes who believe in service before self. Heroes who are willing to risk all, often for people they don’t even know.
Greg was a hero. A hero who was brutally beaten and murdered. Andrew took that second shot to ensure Greg wouldn’t survive. Andrew should spend his life in prison.
In the Annex of the courthouse in Mantorville, there is a memorial display honoring our fallen heroes in Dodge County. Greg’s plaque is displayed in the middle. On all Dodge County marked patrol vehicles there is a memorial graphic displaying all four badges of our fallen over the years, including Greg’s. He is remembered every year in May during Police Week at the Capitol and at the new Law Enforcement Memorial in Soldiers Field Park in Rochester where his name is engraved on the wall along with over 40 other fallen heroes from SE MN.
Greg also has a memorial page on the Officer Down Memorial Podcast website. On his page you can also listen to his story. I host the episode telling Greg’s story with the help of wife Sue and retired Dodge County deputies Rollie Spriggle and Curt Utpadel.
Greg’s service and sacrifice made a lasting impression on this community, and the law enforcement who serve here. He will never be forgotten.
 
Scott Rose serves as the sheriff of Dodge County.