St. Paul tire iron attack leads to murder charges after victim dies

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man accused of attacking another man with a tire iron in St. Paul is facing homicide charges following the victim's death weeks after the assault. 

Daniel Pen-Mong Moua, 20, was initially charged with assault before the man he is accused of attacking died at the hospital. 

Fatal tire iron attack in St. Paul

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St. Paul police say they responded to the 600 block of Hyacinth Avenue in St. Paul just before noon on July 13 for a report of a man who hit another man "with some sort of cane", according to the criminal complaint. 

The victim, a 54-year-old man, was found by police unconscious on the ground with an exposed head injury. Officers reported that the man was bleeding profusely and bone could be seen. 

Moua was reportedly seen standing over the victim while another man put pressure on the victim's injury. 

The victim was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a major brain injury. He then died on Aug. 3, according to court documents. A preliminary examination by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office on Aug. 4 determined a cranial brain injury was the victim's cause of death. 

Witness report:

A 911 caller told police that they saw a man run up to the victim "with what appeared to be a cane" and struck the victim in the head, knocking him to the ground before running into a nearby garage. 

The suspect was then seen coming back out of the garage and trying to help the victim, according to the 911 caller.

Police then determined that the suspect fit Moua's description. 

Officers then searched the garage and found a tire iron with dried blood on it inside a plastic bag. Family members spoke to police and told them the tire iron belonged to Moua and that it was usually kept in a silver van. 

Moua was then arrested and reportedly declined a custodial interview.