23-year-old man charged in connection to St. Paul's Union Park neighborhood homicide
Terrion Sherman.[Ramsey County Jail]
A Minneapolis man has been charged in connection to the murder of a 21-year-old mother in St. Paul's Union Park neighborhood early Wednesday morning.
Court documents state 23-year-old Terrion Lamar Sherman has been charged with one count of second-degree murder in Ramsey County.
Authorities identified the victim as Abigail Elise Simpson earlier Thursday.
Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, St. Paul police officers were sent to an apartment building located on the 300 block of Pierce Street on a report of a domestic disturbance, according to the criminal complaint. The 911 caller told police a man and woman were arguing and that it sounded as if it had become physical and very violent.
Police: 21-year-old woman victim of St. Paul's Union Park neighborhood homicide
Upon arrival, officers were allowed inside the building by a tenant. Once they were upstairs, police heard a small child crying and a man, later identified as Sherman, yelling. Officers also said they heard stomping and they heard Sherman yell, "Stay down or I will kill you." Police announced themselves several times, but no one came to the door. The complaint states when officers heard the child stop crying, they breached the door in fear for the child's safety.
Officers entered the apartment and saw Sherman covered in blood and standing in the living room. Simpson was found lying face down on the floor, covered in blood and had "significant injuries" to her body. The boy was also located next to Simpson, with blood on his face, torso, pants and shoes. Officers found a knife near Simpson's body at the scene.
Sherman followed police commands and allowed himself to be taken into custody. However, while en route to the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center, Sherman broke out the back window of the squad car that was transporting him. Sherman told police he was on drugs, and medics responded shortly thereafter. Sherman was taken to Regions Hospital and made a statement to police about "hitting the dog" and "punching her head off."
After being medically cleared and discharged from the hospital, Sherman met with homicide investigators at police headquarters. There, he said he was at the apartment with Simpson and his two-year-old nephew. The 23-year-old told investigators his nephew "became possessed as a dog," and then claimed Simpson told him "she was a guy." An argument followed, and Sherman claimed Simpson came at him with a knife, so he "punched her head approximately eight times against the cast iron radiator to defend himself."
According to the complaint, when asked if he was taking any medications or used any drugs, Sherman told investigators that he had been prescribed drugs but does not need them "because he is not crazy."
An autopsy conducted by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner states Simpson died from multiple traumatic injuries that were seen on her face, neck and extremities. A series of sharp force injuries including stab and incision-type wounds were observed on her scalp, face, neck and lower extremity. The manner of death is homicide, according to police.
Sherman is currently being held in Ramsey County Jail.