Police: 75-year-old woman strangled until unconscious in random, aggressive Maplewood home invasion
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (KMSP) - Maplewood police are investigating a random home invasion-style robbery on Jan. 2 in which a 75-year-old woman was threatened with a gun and strangled until she was unconscious.
The victim told police she was preparing to leave her home on the 1700 block of Gervais Avenue around 1:00 p.m. when the doorbell rang. The woman at the door asked the victim to use her phone, but the victim refused to let her inside, saying she was about to leave.
The woman then pulled out a handgun and forced her way into the victim’s home. Once inside, she made a phone call on her own cell phone and two other men entered the home.
One of the two men bound the victim’s hands while the other took several items of jewelry, credit cards, keys and a driver’s license from the victim’s home.
Before leaving, one of the men told the victim to get on the floor, wrapped an article of clothing around her neck and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness.
Investigators are trying to determine if the incident is connected to the burglary of a nearby unoccupied residence, which occurred on or around December 27, 2015.
Police arrested Deandre Wims, 25, of North St. Paul on Jan. 5 on probable cause felony charges for financial transaction fraud in connection with the case. Police are still working to identify the other two suspects.
Police remained concerned about the random and aggressive nature of the incident. Investigators are asking anyone with information on the suspects to call the Maplewood Police Department at 651-767-0640 or text the information with the word “Maplewood” to 847411.
The suspects
- Female, 20 to 30 years old, thin build, approximately 5’2” to 5’8” tall
- Male, 20 to 30 years old, has cornrows tied into a ponytail, approximately 6’0” tall
- Male, 20 to 30 years old, short hair, approximately 5’6” to 6’0” tall