‘That s*** was brutal’: St. Paul man charged with fatally stabbing mother of his child

A St. Paul man is accused of fatally stabbing the mother of his child on Friday.

Joseph Davis, 34, faces one count of second-degree murder.

According to a criminal complaint, St. Paul officers were called to the 300 block of Edmund Avenue for a welfare check on Friday. Davis had reportedly called a family member and admitted to killing the mother of his child. He added that he was sorry and that he had left their 2-year-old child at the home.

When officers entered the home, they found a toddler on a couch in the living room. The victim, identified Monday as 33-year-old Christine Morris, was found in a bedroom upstairs, covered with a blanket.

Morris was pronounced deceased, and court documents note she had visible stab wounds.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner found that Morris had been stabbed in her head, neck, left arm, chest and back. Her right lung, left kidney, spleen, diaphragm and descending colon had been pierced.

Another woman who has children with Davis said he called her that morning and left a message saying he killed the mother of one of his other children. He added that he wanted to see their two kids before turning himself in.

The woman said Davis is violent and she has an active order for protection against him. She added that she had told her lawyer she was afraid Davis would kill her or someone else at some point.

One of Morris’ friends showed police text messages the victim had sent stating that if she or her daughter ended up dead or missing, Davis was responsible.

Another of Morris’ friends told police that Davis had been messaging the victim throughout the evening and accusing her of cheating on him.

Investigators later learned that Davis was in an apartment on 31st Avenue South in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis SWAT team executed a search warrant and arrested him.

The renter of the apartment said she met Davis on a dating app about a month ago and he had asked her if he could stay with her, as he was in trouble and running from police. He didn’t tell her what kind of trouble he was in.

In an interview with homicide investigators, Davis claimed Morris had been cheating on him with a married man, adding that he had confronted her before the stabbing.

“I should have never did that to her…That [expletive] was brutal. I — I definitely feel bad,” he reportedly told investigators.

He added that he had stabbed her but didn’t remember where the knife was because he blacked out after he left, court documents state.

Davis told investigators the stabbing began on the bed, but Morris rolled off, so he sat on the bed and watched her die. He then covered her body because he didn’t want to look at her.

“She suffered, bro, she definitely suffered,” he told police.

Davis has a history of domestic abuse against Morris of his child:

• In June, he was sentenced for violating a domestic abuse no-contact order in Hennepin County.
• In January 2024, he was sentenced on a gross misdemeanor domestic assault in Ramsey County.
• In May 2023, he was sentenced on a gross misdemeanor domestic assault in Ramsey County.

Court documents add, “Davis has engaged in a past pattern of domestic abuse upon [Morris.]”

Davis’ next court appearance is scheduled for June 17.

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