​What happened to Andrew Sadek?

The family of the late 20-year old college student deserves answers

This week, a report on the death of a Wahpeton college student made headlines nationwide and across the world. Andrew Sadek, a 20-year-old student at ND State College of Science, went missing last May right before he was to graduate. In June he was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head. An autopsy couldn't determine cause of death, whether suicide or murder. His mother, Tammy Sadek, citing some discrepancies in the case, including the fact that his backpack was weighted down and he was thrown in the river, believes he was murdered. There are some mysteries surrounding his death. His family as well as the public deserve answers.

Andrew Sadek worked as a criminal informant for the Southeast Multi-County Agency Drug Task Force (SEMCA) after he was arrested for selling pot in 2013. He, also, had been trapped by a confidential informant. Despite only being busted for $80 worth of pot, because Sadek sold on campus, he was threatened with 20 years in jail. As part of his work for SEMCA, Sadek would set up deals and give them information. Some have wondered if his work as CI lead to his death. He stopped communicating with SEMCA after setting up a few deals. He had more to go as part of his agreement. A week after his disappearance, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor.

Because of his work CI work, a report was requested by the ND Attorney General to look into the role it may have played in his death. The report issued last week found no wrongdoing on the part of SEMCA officials in working with Sadek. However, it did recommend a few changes in how they do their work, including appointing a task force supervisor and assigning a state Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent to Wahpeton.

Police hope the report will end questions about Sadek's role as an informant. Frankly it won't until we learn more about how and why he died. His mother believes his role as an informant had a direct role in his death. She is worried that SEMCA is operating on campus on similar terms as it did when Andrew was alive.

It's hard not to have questions about the young death of a man about to graduate and already applying for jobs after college. If he has no reason for suicide, if there's no note or obvious motive, why did he die? Someone out there has answers. Is it possible police and authorities aren't very anxious to solve this case and spend a lot of time and work on it because it involves someone they had arrested? Or perhaps if Sadek’s work as CI lead to his death, maybe it would lead the public to call for an end to these practices. Maybe police don’t want that exposed. Another matter is why are campus police investigating a murder? That seems highly unusual and would never happen in Fargo nor Moorhead. And why was the head of the SEMCA board also on the investigation that looked into its role in Sadek’s death, something not initially disclosed on the report?

More should be done to solve this case. If he was murdered, his attacker must still be out there and could do it again. Violence like this doesn't happen in Wahpeton, and all involved should want resolution so it doesn't happen again. Those who shrug their hands and say we may never know don't help end the lingering questions.

A real resolve to get answers and maybe a fresh set of outside eyes looking into the case would be a good start versus a whitewash report that just exonerates all involved. Just because someone sells $80 worth of pot doesn't mean they are a bad person, and it doesn't mean we should look the other way when they turn up dead. As far as criminals go, many have done far worse things than Andrew did, and if we are going to be threatening every $20 bag pot dealer with 20 years of jail, I hope we have enough jail space to house them all.

Here's hoping someone steps up from the city or state to get a real push to get answers and resolution in this case. It's sorely needed, and until it happens, questions on the SEMCA role will always remain.