Police: Man arrested in death of mother in St. Paul’s Payne-Phalen neighborhood

A man is in custody in connection to the death of his mother in St. Paul, early Wednesday morning.

St. Paul Police Sgt. Natalie Davis said officers responded to the area of Cook Avenue East, near Payne Avenue, at around 4 a.m. on a report of a man who was out of control and assaulting his mother. There, officers found a "really awful scene," which included a woman in her 60s who was unresponsive, appeared to have been very badly beaten and had severe head trauma.

Medics arrived and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Officers also found a 38-year-old man at the home and identified him as a suspect. He was detained, questioned and then booked into the Ramsey County jail on suspicion of second-degree murder, Davis said.

"I’m at a loss for words here … it’s heartbreaking for everybody involved," Davis said.

It’s the 33rd homicide of the year in St. Paul.

Davis said charges are expected to be filed against the suspect in the next couple of days.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the woman’s name and cause of death at a later time.