MONTEVIDEO – A 54-year-old Montevideo man is being held in the Chippewa County Jail in connection with the stabbing death Tuesday of another man from Montevideo.
The two were acquaintances and were reportedly staying at the same apartment building where the alleged murder took place, according to Montevideo Police Chief Adam Christopher.
“We know they were friends,” Christopher said. “This was not a random thing.”
The suspect faces charges of second-degree murder and fleeing a peace officer, according to information on the county jail roster.
The Tribune is not publishing the name of the suspect until it is formally released by law enforcement, but court records indicate the suspect has a long criminal history.
ADVERTISEMENT
The name of the 44-year-old victim is being withheld until relatives have been notified.
Christopher said police have had numerous contacts with both individuals in the past and were very familiar with the property where the murder took place.
The building is an old grocery store, located in the 700 block of Sherman Avenue, that has been converted into apartments.
Christopher said that since 2013 police had been called to that location 34 times to respond to domestic assaults and noise complaints.
“We’ve made several arrests out of there for various things, typically assaults,” he said.
But at this point in the investigation Christopher said he has “no clue” what prompted the altercation, which was reported at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday.
When officers arrived they learned that an individual had been transported to by a private vehicle to the Montevideo Hospital with knife injuries.
The victim died at the hospital.
ADVERTISEMENT
The suspect left the scene on foot but was located outside a few houses away, said Christopher.
“He kind of ran away and hid but was rapidly found,” he said.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehensions is assisting with the investigation.
