A 44-year-old Cloquet man has been charged with second-degree murder after admitting to police that he shot and killed a man inside his home on Nov. 9. 

Thomas Allen Micklewright told investigators that he and his wife were hosting another couple at their home on the 3500 block of Brevator Road – a rural area northwest of Cloquet – when he intentionally shot the 65-year-old victim with a .40 caliber pistol, a criminal complaint says. 

Micklewright's wife called 911 around 5 a.m., and at one point during the call Micklewright spoke with the 911 dispatcher and admitted to pulling the trigger. He did not, however, give a reason why he killed the man. 

Authorities arrived at the home and found the victim dead in the kitchen. He was identified as James A. Couture, of Brevator Township. 

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Investigators learned that the couples had been drinking alcohol throughout the night, and a preliminary breath test taken six hours after the 911 call was made revealed that Micklewright had a 0.20 breath-alcohol concentration. 

A medical examiner ruled that Couture died of a perforating gunshot wound.