Duluth man sentenced to 20 years in prison for home invasion and stabbing – Duluth News Tribune

DULUTH — A man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison for stabbing two people in a case of mistaken identity over a stolen phone charger.

Tristan Jade St., 24, of Duluth. Clair received the statutory maximum sentence from Judge Dale Harris after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting attempted second-degree murder.

His brother, 28-year-old Dustin Hawke St. Clair still faces charges in court.

January 6, 2023, home invasion and assault at a residence in the Kenwood neighborhood.

According to court documents:

A man was staying with his sister at her apartment in the 1200 block of West Arrowhead Road after his relationship with his girlfriend “broke down” shortly after New Year’s. Later, his estranged girlfriend’s cousin, Dustin St. He started receiving Facebook messages from Clair about the phone charger he bought.

St. Clair reportedly challenged the man to a fight and sent a photo of himself holding a semi-automatic pistol, using slang to imply he was going to kill the man. The man called 911 and authorities searched the area but St. They couldn’t find Clair.

The man then walked outside the nearby Super One Foods in St. He planned to meet Clair, but the defendant did not show up. The man returned to his sister’s apartment but failed to lock the outside door before going to the basement bedroom.

Police described the property as a “single-family type home that had been converted into makeshift apartments.” The bedrooms were occupied by unrelated tenants, some of whom did not know each other.

The man was sleeping and heard a “commotion” in a nearby basement shortly before 3:30 a.m.; He then heard the door kicked in and a man yelling “What did I do?” He said he shouted.

A female resident and a male guest told police the door was then opened by St. He said they were in a neighboring room when it was kicked open by two men identified as St. Clairs. Tristan St. They reported that Clair immediately began stabbing them.

The 32-year-old woman was first stabbed in the left breast, mouth and side of the head. The 36-year-old man was then struck in the neck, face and chest area. Dustin St. It is estimated that Clair tried to stab him at least 15-20 times.

The same female victim then tried to intervene and was stabbed in the side of her head, with her mouth also slashed.

Authorities say Dustin St. He said Clair was “watching” for her brother and yelled, “Don’t look at us!” He said he shouted. Tristan St. Clair stabbed both victims.

St. The Clairs then went upstairs, where they encountered the third victim: another resident of the apartment they had just left. They both said “Don’t look at us!” he reportedly shouted. and Tristan St. Clair hit the 53-year-old woman in the head with a glass coffee pot, causing lacerations on her head, face and hand.

The defendants then tried to escape from the house, but their vehicle got stuck in a snowbank. Tristan St. While Clair was arrested by the police next to the vehicle, Dustin St. Clair was captured a short distance away after fleeing on foot.

Dustin St. The man who had previously contacted St. Clair identified himself as one of the criminals, and police said three victims of the physical assault gave descriptions that matched the suspects.

Officers found “a large amount of blood” and a hunting-style knife severed from its handle in the basement bedroom.

It was stated that all three victims were covered in blood, the man had difficulty breathing and was taken off on a stretcher. They were taken to local hospitals and the man required surgery to prevent him from bleeding to death.

Judges earlier this year rejected defendants’ motions challenging the sufficiency of probable cause and the legality of various search warrants.

Tristan St. Clair was scheduled to go to trial on September 30, but reached a plea agreement to resolve his case the same day. Norgaard entered a plea in which he claimed he could not remember the facts of the incident but conceded there was sufficient evidence for conviction.

Dustin St. Clair still faces seven felony aiding and abetting charges, including attempted murder, assault, burglary and threats of violence. A hearing date has not been set.

Cases St. It is being handled by Claire Klein and Jon Holets of the St. Louis County District Attorney’s Office.

Tom Olsen has covered crime, courts and the 8th Congressional District for the Duluth News Tribune since 2013. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth and a lifelong resident of the city. Readers can contact Olsen at 218-723-5333 or [email protected].