Man charged in sexual assault of teen, suspicious death still under investigation

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - A 33-year-old Stillwater, Minnesota man has been charged for allegedly raping a 16-year-old in the St. Paul home where a woman was found dead Monday. 

Ivan Walker is charged with kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He has been named a person of interest in the suspicious death of 39-year-old Shana Hollins, also known as Shana Branch, but no charges have been filed. He made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon. 

Shana Hollins' sister Krystal Hollins said, "My head is swimming. I've very dizzy," following seeing the man suspected of killing her sister in a jailhouse jumpsuit at the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center Wednesday. 

"Justice will happen," she added. "And I am a believer in the system." 

Hollins' family still cannot believe the allegations of what appears to be pure evil.

At 7 a.m. Monday morning, officers were called to Hollins' home on the 1500 block of East Jessamine Lane in St. Paul after her 20-year-old son called 911 to report his mother’s boyfriend may have killed her.

When officers arrived they found Hollins in her bedroom. She was on the bed on her side and had foam and mucus coming from her nose, according to the charges. A plastic straw was protruding from her nose. Her death is being investigated as a homicide. 

Walker and Hollins met in 2017, the charges say. He stayed at her house several nights a week. 

A 16-year-old was visiting the family from out of state at the time of Hollins’ death. She told police Walker sexually assaulted her several times early Monday morning and that he confessed to killing Hollins. 

After the rape, the victim went upstairs and saw Hollins on the bed. 

“[Hollins'] feet were purple,” the charges said. “[The victim] saw [Wallker] snort some cocaine with a straw from a CD case. He then placed the straw next to [Hollins]. He told her he was going to make the death look like an overdose.” 

After convincing Walker he should leave, the 16-year-old went to the 20-year-old son’s bedroom. She gave him a knife, told him to call police and lock his door. She told him Walker had killed his mother. 

The murder investigation is ongoing and Hollins' family and friends want to make sure he never gets another chance at freedom. 

"We're definitely going to be here all the way to the bitter end," said Naytone Terrick, a family friend. "We'll be here at every court date. We're dedicated to seeing justice all the way through."