A Blaine man has been given a 40-year term for fatally shooting his wife as she was in the process of leaving him.

Matthew L. Jansen, 48, was sentenced in Anoka County District Court last week after pleading guilty to second-degree intentional murder in connection with the killing of Mary Jo Jansen, 46, in February 2019. A first-degree murder count was dismissed.

With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Matthew Jansen will serve about 25 years in prison and the balance on supervised release.

District Judge Dyanna Street gave Matthew Jansen a longer than typical sentence for that count, citing his lack of remorse and for "invading the victim's zone of privacy," a statement from the County Attorney's Office read.

"It is particularly cruel for children to lose their mother, and a family to lose their loved one, at the hands of someone who is supposed to emotionally support a family, not violently tear it apart," said County Attorney Tony Palumbo. "The emotional impact was made worse here because the victim had attended her mother's funeral just that morning."

Mary Jo Jansen, whose survivors included two children, was in the process of leaving her husband when he shot her the neck and chest in a bedroom at the couple's home in the 2700 block of 95th Avenue NE. on Feb. 8, 2019, one day before she intended to move out.

While on the scene, the defendant told officers "I can't believe I did it" and "I guess I don't have to worry about a divorce now," the criminal complaint read.

Sheriff's detectives learned from family that Mary Jo Jansen had served the defendant divorce papers around Thanksgiving 2018.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482