We Remember 2025
We Remember is a memorial to Minnesota’s victims of intimate partner homicide. Each of these victims is someone’s child, parent, sibling, family member, intimate partner, friend, neighbor, or co-worker.
Kristi Joy Gardner
Age 57
Lake Crystal
January 9, 2025
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Kristi Joy Gardner, 57, died from multiple gunshot wounds in a home in Lake Crystal on January 9, 2025. Police were alerted by a 911 caller who stated they had found her unresponsive in the home. Police then determined that Kristi had been in a relationship with Gary Rodewald, 64, and went to find Rodewald. They found him unresponsive in his garage in New Ulm as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital in Minneapolis where he died of his injuries on January 11, 2025. Police stated that they were investigating Kristi’s death as a murder-suicide, and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office determined her death was a homicide.
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Rodewald had several convictions for violating Harassment Restraining Orders and Orders for Protection dating as far back as 2000, though it is unclear against whom.
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Kristi was a nurse at the Mankato Clinic for nearly three decades, and was described as “an awesome nurse and kind friend” and “a wonderful person” who enjoyed cooking, gardening, and puzzles. She leaves behind five children.
Tabitha Renee Justice
Age 46
Jordan
January 28, 2025
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Tabitha Renee Justice, 46, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head on January 28, 2025 at an abandoned property in Jordan. Tabitha had been reported missing earlier that day by a relative who said they had not seen her since December 10. Police officers found Tabitha’s body in a nearby outbuilding when they went to her last known address.​
On May 23, 2025, John Peterson, 41, was charged with second-degree murder. Tabitha’s friends told police that Tabitha had been in a relationship with Peterson and had at some point been living with him. Tabitha’s friends said Tabitha told them Peterson was “physically aggressive” and “very controlling.” They also informed police that Peterson kept “finding and following” Tabitha after he had allegedly made her leave his home. Peterson was previously twice convicted for weapons or ammunition offenses and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm when he killed Tabitha.​
Tabitha Renee Justice was described by friends as “beautiful and funny; such a sweet and loving person.” She leaves behind several children.
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Sam Nordquist
Age 24
From Oakdale, Minnesota; Sam died in New York
February 13, 2025
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Sam was described as “a friend without limits,” “a giving person, a loving person,” “full of life,” and a “beautiful human being.” Loved ones shared that he loved TikTok, puma sweatshirts, cooking, and trick-or-treating with his sister’s children.
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Sam Nordquist, 24, was killed on or around February 13, 2025 after prolonged physical and psychological abuse and torture from the following seven people. Precious Arzuaga, 38; Jennifer Quijano, 30; Kyle Sage, 33; Patrick Goodwin, 30; Emily Motyka, 19; Kimberly Sochia, 29; and Thomas Eaves, 21, are all charged with first-degree murder.
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Sam, a Black trans man from Minnesota, traveled to New York from Oakdale, MN in September 2024. His family stated he traveled to New York to meet his girlfriend, Precious Arzuaga, whom he had met online. Sam’s family gradually lost contact with him, and the few phone calls they did have often had Arzuaga present. On December 4, 2024, Sam’s family was notified by social services that Sam had gone to their offices and expressed that Arzuaga was controlling his cell phone use, and that he wanted to come home and was trying to come up with an "escape plan.” He never showed up for a December 19 appointment, and his family last heard from him on January 31, 2025. His family’s requests for welfare checks led to the eventual discovery of Sam’s body in a field in New York on February 13, 2025.
We remember Sam Nordquist.
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Sefiya Churiso Datu
Age 29
St. Paul
February 26, 2025
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Sefiya Churiso Datu, 29, was stabbed to death in St. Paul on February 26, 2025. Sefiya’s husband, Kedu Husen Buseri, 34, is charged with second-degree murder. On the afternoon of February 26, Buseri called 911 and said someone had killed his wife. When officers arrived they found Buseri covered in blood and Sefiya wrapped in a blanket with a knife near her head. A baby was found on a nearby bed but was physically unharmed. Another woman was also present but was not injured. Sefiya was taken to the hospital and died shortly afterward.
Buseri told police he and Sefiya had an argument and he slapped her, then began cutting her. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Sefiya died as a result of multiple sharp force injuries, including a large cut across her throat, cuts on her face, and a cut on her bicep.
We remember Sefiya Churiso Datu.
Janet Vercruysse
Age 36
Waite Park
April 12, 2025
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Janet Vercruysse, 36, was shot and killed inside a home in Waite Park on April 12, 2025 by her boyfriend De’Mico Elyea-Goss, 29, who then shot and killed himself. On the afternoon of April 12, police were across the street on a separate call and heard gunshots from the home. A 5-year-old child and an 8-year-old child, both Janet’s children, ran out of the home and alerted police to the murder-suicide. When police entered, they found Janet and Elyea-Goss deceased. Multiple firearms were also found inside.
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Janet was described as a “caring and adventurous” person who was generous and friendly and loved spending time with her family and three cats. Loved ones said she had a “contagious laugh” and loved dressing up in her favorite colors of pink, leopard print, and purple. Janet worked at a nursing home and was fondly remembered by coworkers. Janet Vercruysse leaves behind two young children.
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Hulda Bochere Mosiori
Age 42
Ramsey
April 22, 2025
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Hulda Bochere Mosiori, 42, was killed by her former partner Mel Melchizedek, 51, on April 22, 2025 in Ramsey, Minnesota. Melchizedek then killed himself. On the morning of April 22, police received a call indicating that Melchizedek confronted a neighbor with a gun before returning to a home nearby. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area. Police eventually managed to enter the home, where they found Hulda and Melchizedek deceased. An official determination of the cause(s) of both deaths has not yet been released.
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Hulda was a psychiatric nurse practitioner in Maple Grove who was described by loved ones as “the nicest person” and the “biggest supporter, role model and provider.” Hulda Bochere Mosiori leaves behind four children.
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Christine "Chrissy" Morris
Age 33
St. Paul
May 2, 2025
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Christine “Chrissy” Morris, 33, was stabbed to death in St. Paul on or around May 2, 2025. Her boyfriend Joseph Davis, 34, is charged with second-degree murder. Early on the morning of May 2, police were called to a welfare check at the home Christine and Davis shared, where they pronounced Christine dead at the scene. Their two-year-old daughter was found physically unharmed.
Before police arrived, Davis had called a family member and a previous partner and told both of them that he had killed Christine. The previous partner told police she had feared he would kill her (the partner) or someone else at some point.
Davis has a history of violence against Christine. He was sentenced in May 2023 and January 2024 for gross misdemeanor domestic assault against her, and had also violated a no contact order prohibiting him from contacting Christine. Davis also has a prior domestic assault conviction in 2018 for abusing another woman he was in a relationship with. In September 2024, Christine told a friend that if she or her daughter ended up dead or went missing, Davis would be the person responsible.
Christine “Chrissy” Morris was described by loved ones as “a beautiful soul who touched many lives with her love, strength, and smile.” She ran her own catering business for Jamaican food, and also worked as a realtor. Multiple people described her as their best friend. She leaves behind a two-year-old daughter.
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Danielle Grace Warren
Age 32
Burnsville
May 7, 2025
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Danielle Grace Warren, 32, was stabbed to death on May 7, 2025 in her home in Burnsville. She was stabbed nine times in the neck, torso, and head while several children were in the home. Her boyfriend Jason Filas, 48, is charged with second-degree intentional murder. Police were called to the home on the morning of May 7, where they found Danielle deceased inside. Filas was later arrested in Lakeville.
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Earlier this year, a no-contact order was issued prohibiting Filas from contacting Danielle after a March 13 assault in which he grabbed her by the hair, pulled her head down, and took her cellphone. In the court filing for the no-contact order, Danielle noted she was afraid of Filas and was concerned he would hurt her. Police found him in violation of the order on April 2 while in a car with Danielle. Filas was set to be sentenced for that violation on July 9. Though it is unknown why, a judge vacated the no-contact order on April 23.
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Loved ones said that Danielle “did anything in the world” for her children, had a great sense of humor, and will be deeply missed. Danielle Grace Warren leaves behind three young children, including an infant.
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Kinsley Prinsen
Age 2
Minneapolis
June 9, 2025
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Kinsley Prinsen, 2, was shot and killed inside her home in Minneapolis on June 9, 2025. Kinsley’s father Scott Devery, 50, shot and killed Kinsley and then himself in front of Kinsley’s mother, with whom he had been in a relationship for seven years. Kinsley’s mother told the media that Devery held her and Kinsley hostage in their home, and that she was unable to call 911 for fear of him seeing her phone. Kinsley’s mother said that before Devery shot and killed himself and Kinsley, he told Kinsley’s mother that he was “going to make sure that I live in misery the rest of my life without my baby girl and without him.” Kinsley was running to get a hug from Devery when he killed her.​
Kinsley Prinsen was described as a “beautiful angel” who was “always happy” and “as young as she was, she made a difference in a lot of people’s lives. She could cheer anyone up.” We remember Kinsley Prinsen.
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Anonymous
Minnesota
June 2025
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This person was killed by their partner. We honor and remember them.​​​​​​​​​​​​
Kayli Grace Arseth
Age 22
Richfield
June 16, 2025
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Note: While we document intimate partner homicides, we also document homicides that result from a perpetrator’s refusal to accept romantic rejection, as these deaths frequently occur in a context of misogyny and overwhelmingly impact women. To be clear, Kayli was not in a relationship with the man who killed her, and he chose not to accept this. Because of this, we honor and remember her.
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Kayli Grace Arseth, 22, was shot and killed in her apartment in Richfield on June 16, 2025. Jose Luis Lopez Xique, 27, is charged with second-degree murder. Kayli and Xique had recently met online, but the relationship was not romantic or sexual. Xique repeatedly pushed for a romantic relationship despite Kayli repeatedly telling him no and preferring friendship. A series of text exchanges about this occurred in the days prior to her homicide.
On June 16, the day of her murder, Kayli again told Xique she did not want a relationship. At some point during this conversation, Xique had already broken into her apartment and was texting her from there. She later arrived home from work and never answered when her friend arrived for scheduled plans. On June 17, officers responded to a welfare check and found her dead in her apartment. She had been shot in the head.
Xique was arrested on July 3. When officers arrived to execute a search warrant at his residence, he told them to “hurry it up.” During their search, police found a Glock 9mm firearm, a red dot sight adapter plate and a "Tactical Media Acquisition Kit" containing camera accessories, hard drives, and flash drives.
Kayli Grace Arseth is remembered as “a vibrant spirit” who had “unwavering compassion for others.” She loved music, going to raves with friends, art, and restoring her motorcycle. She was a beloved nanny and babysitter and a Behavioral Technician. Kayli Grace Arseth’s energy “brought light to everyone.”
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Download We Remember one-page description
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Download explanation of our romantic rejection homicide criteria
Lindsey Kaye (Adams) Graff
Age 29
Chisholm
June 17, 2025
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Lindsey Kaye (Adams) Graff, 29, was shot and killed on June 17, 2025 in a home in Chisholm, Minnesota. Lindsey’s ex-boyfriend Leo Schweiss, 34, shot and killed Lindsey and shot another man who was present. Schweiss also shot and killed himself. When police arrived on scene, they found Lindsey and Schweiss dead. The other man was taken to the hospital for his injuries and survived. A shelter-in-place order had been issued for the surrounding area that lasted about four hours.
Lindsey was described as someone with an “infectious laugh, boundless energy, and kindness.” She was pursuing education in social work and criminal justice, and loved being a mother. Lindsey Kaye (Adams) Graff leaves behind two young children.
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Download We Remember one-page description
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Melissa Hunt
Age 36
Wabasha County
June 18, 2025
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Melissa Hunt, 36, was shot and killed in Wabasha County, Minnesota on June 18, 2025. Craig Hameister, 44, Melissa’s ex-partner and the father of her youngest daughter, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree manslaughter.
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On the afternoon of June 18, police were called to the West Newton area, where Melissa was found badly injured. She had driven into someone’s driveway to ask for help. Melissa had been shot in the face, which resulted in severe facial injuries. Her teeth were falling out and a portion of her jaw was missing. Melissa was taken to the hospital, where she passed away.
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Hameister was arrested on June 19 after he fled and hid from the police for several hours, which also triggered a shelter-in-place order in Marion Township the prior night. He was found with a pistol. Hameister has a history of domestic violence which includes stalking, terroristic threats, and domestic assault charges and convictions dating at least as far back as 2006.​
Melissa Hunt was described as “such a light,” “a beautiful soul,” and someone who “had a big heart and loved life.” She leaves behind two daughters.
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Anissa Cope
Age 49
Duluth
June 28, 2025
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Anissa Cope, 49, was stabbed to death on June 28, 2025 in her home in Duluth. Anissa’s husband Corddarro Cope, 37, is charged with second-degree murder. On the night of June 28, a neighbor called 911 indicating that they heard a woman screaming for help and being “thrown around” while a man told her to shut up. First responders found Anissa dead in her home. She had been stabbed in her arms, abdomen, and neck. As the neighbor called 911, Corddarro Cope fled by vehicle. He was later located on I-35 in Pine County and was taken into custody.
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Wisconsin court records show Corddarro Cope pleaded guilty to violent offenses against a different intimate partner several years ago. One of these assaults occurred in 2018 and another occurred against that same victim in 2019. In both cases, Cope was facing multiple serious felony charges—including felony strangulation—but pleaded down to misdemeanor domestic battery.
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Anissa Cope was described by friends as a “kind, compassionate soul” who “made the world brighter.”
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Crystal Marschel
Age 32
Pierz
July 18, 2025
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Crystal Marschel, 32, was shot and killed in a home in Pierz, Minnesota on July 18, 2025. Crystal’s boyfriend John Gans, 34, shot Crystal in the head and then shot and killed himself. Authorities were called to the home that morning for a welfare check, where they found both Crystal and Gans deceased.
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Jail records for Benton County indicate that Gans was arrested in June 2023 on multiple domestic assault charges, including domestic assault by strangulation, but the records do not indicate against whom.
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Crystal Marschel was described as “a warm, vibrant soul” and a “proud mentor” whose children were “the center of her universe.” She loved the Vikings and was a first-year physical education and health teacher at Isle High School, as well as the girls track coach. She was honored in May 2025 as the Isle High School staff member of the month. Crystal Marschel leaves behind two young children.
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