minnesota | My Crime Library

Caitlin Thao Wanted For Sexual Assault

Caitlin Thao was a substitute teacher from Minnesota who is now on the run as she is accused of having sex with a seventeen year old student

According to police reports Caitlin Thao was employed at St Paul City School in Minnesota when she allegedly brought the seventeen year old student into a empty classroom where the two engaged in sexual activity

Caitlin Thao reportedly told an employee at a mental health facility about the illegal encounter which led to an investigation where the seventeen year old would admit to police regarding the sexual encounter. Apparently Thao wanted to take the student home however he would decline

Police would charge Caitlin Theo with third-degree criminal sexual conduct however she would disappear before she could be arrested and a nationwide warrant has been sent out

Caitlin Theo News

A onetime substitute teacher at a St. Paul charter school has been charged with criminal sexual conduct for an alleged classroom incident involving a 17-year-old student.

Caitlin K. Thao, 24, of St. Paul was charged in Ramsey County District Court last week with third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The incident happened at St. Paul City School earlier this year.

A nationwide warrant has been issued for Thao’s arrest. Messages were left with Thao seeking her response to the allegations. Court records do not list an attorney.

Eric Fergen, interim executive director for the charter school on West University Avenue, said Friday that Thao “hasn’t worked with us for quite a few months.” Fergen declined to comment further.

According to the criminal complaint and a related court filing, the teenage boy told police on March 13 that the two had a sexual encounter about 1½ months earlier in an otherwise empty middle school classroom where Thao taught. Thao later invited the teen over to her home but he declined, according to the court documents.

After Thao resigned in late February, she reported the sexual conduct to a social worker while in the Regions Hospital mental health unit, according to the court documents.

https://www.aol.com/ex-teacher-st-paul-school-142300228.html

Caitlin Thao Pleads Guilty

A former part-time substitute teacher has entered a guilty plea for having sex with a 17-year-old student inside a St. Paul charter school.

Caitlin Thao, 24, was previously charged in Ramsey County with third-degree criminal sexual conduct. On Wednesday, she entered a guilty plea on an amended charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

As part of her plea deal, Thao agreed to serve no more than six months in jail, not have contact with the victim, register as a predatory offender and have a psychosexual evaluation. She’ll also need to serve probation.

Court documents state police began investigating Thao last February after complaints were made about “inappropriate” behavior toward students.

School officials informed police that the victim, who had been in an English language learner class that Thao worked in, said he had “shared a non-alcoholic drink” with her and “she may have messaged him on social media,” according to the criminal complaint. Thao resigned soon after.

In mid-March, the victim told police he had sex with Thao, whom he said had been “overly nice” to him and communicated with him over messenger apps. The complaint states the victim claimed Thao “called him handsome and would flirt with him,” and the victim flirted back “because she would buy stuff for him and his friends.”

The victim said the sexual encounter occurred inside a middle school classroom in February, according to the complain, and he alleged Thao later invited him to her residence for more sex when her husband was away, which the victim turned down.

The criminal complaint states Thao’s husband discovered what had happened in early March and contacted the victim’s mom. The next day, Thao allegedly admitted the sexual encounter to a Regions Hospital social worker.

Thao’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 10

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/former-st-paul-substitute-teacher-enters-guilty-plea-for-having-sex-with-17-year-old-student

Jennifer Stately Murders 2 Sons In Minnesota

Jennifer Stately is an alleged killer from Minnesota who has been charged with the murders of her two sons

According to police reports Jennifer Stately would attack two of her children, Remi and Tristan Stately, aged 6 and 5, with a knife before setting the house on fire.

Jennifer Stately would take a third child from the home after starting the fire and taking off. When Stately was pulled over officers noticed that the child with her had suffered obvious signs of abuse

Jennifer Stately has been charged with one count of premeditated murder, one count of murder in the course of committing arson, one count of murder in the course of committing child abuse, one count of arson and one count of felony child neglect

Jennifer Stately News

U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger says a Red Lake woman has been charged with murder, arson, and child neglect, in connection to the death of two young children on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.

Court documents say on March 15th, 35-year-old Jennifer Stately attacked and killed two children. The documents say that Stately slashed at the children with a knife, before setting fire to the home. One child was fatally stabbed in the chest. The other child had a non-fatal stab wound, but later died from smoke inhalation.

Investigators say after the stabbing and the fire was set to the home, Stately drove away from the home with another child, promoting a state-wide Amber Alert. Stately was eventually pulled over my area law enforcement, and police noticed that the child in the vehicle had visible signs of child neglect.

Stately has been indicted on charges of premeditated murder, one count of murder in the course of committing child abuse, one count of murder in the course of committing arson, one count of arson and one count of felony child neglect.

“This tragic case demonstrates the importance of close working relationships between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our state, federal and tribal law enforcement partners. Together, we are able to bring charges swiftly in cases such as this on behalf of the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger.

“This case is another example of how AMBER Alerts save lives. They get critical information out quickly to millions of Minnesotans willing to step up to help rescue a child in mortal danger,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “We are grateful to the Minnesotan who acted quickly and bravely in this case, and to all Minnesotans who join in the search when a child needs them most.”

“The loss of innocent lives demands swift and decisive action,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Through seamless collaboration with our state and local counterparts along with the invaluable support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are steadfast in our resolve to pursue justice for the victims. We stand united in seeking closure and healing for the affected family and their community.”

https://www.valleynewslive.com/2024/05/06/red-lake-woman-federally-charged-murder-arson-investigation

Esperanza Rae Harding Murders Infant

Esperanza Rae Harding is an alleged killer from Minnesota who is charged with the murder of her seven month old son

According to police reports Esperanza Rae Harding was taking a bath when the seven month old infant started to cry. Instead of trying to comfort the infant Harding would drown him in the bathtub then dispose of the body by throwing it into a dumpster

Esperanza Rae Harding would be arrested and has been charged with murder

Esperanza Rae Harding News

A Lino Lakes, Minnesota mother faces murder charges after allegedly drowning her child in a bathtub then throwing the child’s body into a dumpster at a hotel, according to court records.

Esperanza Rae Harding, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder and murder in Hennepin County for the death of her child, though authorities have not located the body nor indicated how old the child was.

Court records allege that on March 6, 2024, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to reports of a missing child call at the Children’s Hospital.

When officers arrived, they spoke with Harding, who claimed her child died of natural causes in the hospital on March 1.

Hospital officials told police there was no record of the child being admitted or dying at the hospital, and the Medical Examiner’s Office did not have record of the victim, court documents allege.

Police said Harding eventually admitted that her child died at a hotel in Bloomington on Feb. 28, 2024, not at the hospital.

She allegedly said her child died in the bathtub, and afterward, she wrapped the body up and threw it in a dumpster.

Bloomington police officers also interviewed Harding after being brought into the case because of the location of the crime.

During the interview, police claim, Harding told investigators she was dating 18-year-old Edwin Trudeau, who did not like the child, telling her to put the child up for adoption.

Harding told officers Trudeau wanted her to put the child up for adoption to prove he was her top priority, not the child, court documents allege.

On Feb. 28, Harding was alone in a hotel room in Bloomington and taking a bath when her child, who was in the other room, started crying.

Harding told police she became upset because she was unable to enjoy the bath. So, she went into the other room, picked up the child and drowned the child in the bathtub.

She then took a picture of the child floating face down in the tub, police said, which has since been recovered from her phone.

Harding allegedly texted with Trudeau during the incident, and police said the texts have since been recovered.

During the texts, Harding allegedly told Trudeau she was about to do something bad, adding her child would not be there much longer.

A little bit later, she allegedly told Trudeau her child was going to die, then two minutes later, she said her child was dead.

Police said Harding sent additional texts in which she referred to herself as “a monster” for what she did, while also asking Trudeau how to get away with the crime.

Trudeau went to the hotel room once the child was dead, Harding told investigators, and after failing to resuscitate the child with CPR, the two had sex in the other room while the child’s motionless body was on the floor of the bathroom.

Afterward, she allegedly told investigators, Harding wrapped the child up, placed the body in a backpack and threw the child into a dumpster at the hotel.

The body has yet to be recovered.

Harding also allegedly told investigators Trudeau kept telling her to keep her mouth shut and that they had to get out of the situation.

“If you go down, I go down, no matter what,” Trudeau allegedly told Harding. “It is always going to be us, Bonnie and Clyde.”

Trudeau was charged with murder and aiding an offender after the fact.

Harding and Trudeau have both been booked into the Hennepin County Jail. Harding is being held on $1,500,000 bond, while Trudeau is being held on $500,000 bond.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/minnesota-mother-accused-drowning-child-because-she-could-not-enjoy-her-bath

Arlene Bell Charged With Gary Lehmeyer Murder

Arlene Bell is an alleged killer from Minnesota who has been charged with the murder of Gary Lehmeyer

According to court documents 32 year old Arlene Bell was living with 76 year old Gary Lehmeyer who was suffering from Parkinson dementia for the last ten years.

Something went wrong and Arlene Bell allegedly stabbed Gary Lehmeyer before strangling the elderly man and wrapping his body up in blankets before stealing his vehicle and driving to Iowa

Arlene Bell would be pulled over as the officer believed she was under the influence. Police would find drugs in the vehicle and took her into custody where they would soon learn she was wanted for murder in Minnesota

Arlene Bell has been charged with second degree murder and auto theft

Arlene Bell News

Prosecutors in Minnesota on Friday accused a woman of stabbing and strangling her 76-year-old roommate who had Parkinson’s dementia, then bounding his ankles and wrapping his body in blankets and a heated mattress pad

Arlene Theresa Bell, 32, is charged with second-degree murder, the Rice County Attorney’s Office said in a press release. Police in Faribault, a city about 50 miles south of Minneapolis, found the body of Gary Lehmeyer while conducting a welfare check at his home on Feb. 5. Cops noticed his van was missing and later learned it was already in possession of law enforcement.

Around 11:30 a.m. Feb. 5, an Iowa State Patrol trooper pulled over Lehmeyer’s vehicle west of Des Moines with Bell driving it, authorities said. Troopers said she looked as if she were under the influence of drugs. They found drugs in the van and she told them she was driving to the Mexico border, according to troopers. She also reportedly said she was coming down from a meth high from a couple days earlier. Troopers took her into custody on the drug charges and Rice County prosecutors later added a motor vehicle theft charge.

Bell later told detectives she was home with Lehmeyer when she heard something hit the floor in his bedroom. When she went to see what happened, she claimed she saw “red bullets” at Lehmeyer’s feet.

“Though Bell admitted that she didn’t see any guns, she said she was scared, that Lehmeyer wouldn’t let her leave the room and that the two began a very physical fight, despite Lehmeyer being physically disabled and diagnosed more than a decade ago with Parkinson’s dementia,” the press release said.

Prosecutors said Bell admitted to stabbing Lehmeyer repeatedly and used a knife to “saw at his wrists.” Bell also told investigators that Lehmeyer threw a dehumidifier at her and began choking her with its cord. She said she cut the cord to free herself.

She watched as he began “bleeding profusely” and spit blood at her, prosecutors say. Bell then bound his feet together with the dehumidifier cord and wrapped his body because she was afraid he would “regain consciousness and kill her.” She said she then took a shower to wash off all the blood on her before driving away in Lehmeyer’s van.

An autopsy determined Lehmeyer died of ligature strangulation and multiple sharp force injuries, local Fox affiliate KMSP reported.

Arlene Bell previously has been arrested for making terroristic threats, burglary and harassment. She remains at the Dallas County Jail awaiting extradition back to Minnesota on the murder charges. A grand jury could indict her for first-degree murder at a later time

Woman stabbed and strangled 76-year-old man with Parkinson’s dementia, wrapped body up in heated mattress pad: Cops

Alonzo Mingo Murders 3 In Minnesota

Alonzo Mingo is an alleged killer from Minnesota who has been charged with a triple murder in a home invasion robbery

According to police reports Alonzo Mingo would dress up as a UPS worker and one of his accomplices would be holding a box. They would make their way into the home where Mingo would fatally shoot 42-year-old Shannon Patricia Jungwirth, her husband, 39-year-old Mario Alberto Trejo Estrada, and her son, Jorge Alexander Reyes-Jungwirth in front of two younger children before fleeing

When Officers arrived at the scene they would find the bodies of the three victims and two children who were under the age of five years old who were not hurt in the home invasion

Using surveillance video inside of the home officers would be able to watch Mingo execute the victims

Alonzo Mingo would be arrested and has been charged with three counts of murder along with an assortment of other charges

Alonzo Mingo News

A Minnesota man accused of killing three people inside their Anoka County home was a former UPS worker who appeared to wear a company uniform as he carried out the fatal shootings last Friday, court records show.

Alonzo Pierre Mingo faces three counts of second-degree murder, according to a criminal complaint filed in Anoka County Court. He did not enter a plea during a hearing Monday, and he’s being held in the county jail in lieu of $5 million bail. No attorneys were listed for Mingo on Tuesday, and the presiding judge denied his request for a public defender.

His second court appearance is scheduled for February 8, according to court records.

Police went to the home after a 911 call “captured a female in the background of a possible domestic situation,” according to a statement of probable cause written by a detective with the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers found three dead victims, identified by the sheriff’s office as Shannon Patricia Jungwirth, 42; her husband, Mario Alberto Trejo Estrada, 39; and her son, Jorge Alexander Reyes-Jungwirth, 20. Two children under the age of 5 who were also at the home were not harmed, police said.

Surveillance video shows a blue Nissan Altima parking outside the home at 12:21 p.m. and three suspects exiting the vehicle and approaching the house, according to the probable cause statement. Two of them were “wearing clothing similar to UPS delivery driver uniforms,” and one was “carrying a cardboard box as if he is delivering a package” as he entered the home, the document states.

Separate surveillance recordings from cameras inside the home showed Mingo holding two adults at gunpoint and demanding money, the probable cause statement says. Later, the video captures a woman being shot at point blank range.

Surveillance footage shows the three suspects exiting the home at 12:28 p.m. and leaving in the vehicle, which was registered to Alonzo Mingo. He was arrested several hours later while leaving his home in the same vehicle.

Alonzo Mingo denied having ever worked at UPS while being questioned by detectives, but investigators found “UPS delivery uniform tops and a UPS vest” in a backpack in his car. Police ultimately confirmed Mingo was employed by UPS until early January, the statement says.

A UPS spokesperson confirmed Alonzo Mingo had worked for the company “for a short time” as a seasonal employee.

“His temporary employment ended in mid-January,” the spokesperson said. “As this is an active investigation, we will defer to investigating authorities for additional questions.”

A prosecutor notified the judge in a filing Monday that they intend to ask for a sentence above the normal guidelines if Mingo is convicted, saying, “The victims were treated with particular cruelty for which the defendant should be held responsible.”

Mingo pleaded guilty to a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm in an unrelated case and was sentenced in November 2020 to a 57-month prison term, court records show. He was let out on supervised release in February 2023.

Attorneys who represented him in his federal case did not immediately respond to requests for comment from CNN.

The shooting remains under investigation, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/31/us/minnesota-delivery-driver-uniform-killings-suspect/index.html