St. Paul man sentenced to nearly 25 years in prison for girlfriend's 2023 murder
Kelvin Perry, 56, was convicted in May of second-degree intentional murder in the death of 39-year-old Shaquita Thomas, court records show. Perry entered a Norgaard plea, meaning he admits to the crime and acknowledges he is not innocent, but does not recall the circumstances of the offense.
The judge sentenced him to 24 years and seven months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution.
According to charges, Thomas' husband, whom she was still married to but separated from, requested a wellness check on her apartment in St. Paul in November 2023, as he hadn't heard from her for a few days.
First responders found Thomas lying face down with injuries to her forearms, back and shoulders. She died at the scene. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner said the cause of her death was asphyxia.
Police at the residence allegedly saw blood on the carpet and a bedroom wall, and a broken wine bottle and glass shards near Thomas.
Thomas' husband said she had spent the night with him on Nov. 14. 2023, according to charges. He dropped her off at her apartment the following morning. When they arrived, Thomas called Perry because he had the key fob she needed to get into the apartment. She allegedly wanted her husband to leave before Perry arrived so they would not be seen together.
Thomas' husband feared for her well-being because he had heard Perry yell at her multiple times.
Surveillance video showed Perry getting to the apartment around 10 a.m. and leaving later that day.
Investigators later spoke with an ex-girlfriend of Perry's, who said she had talked to Perry's brother. He said that Perry mentioned to others that he "choked Thomas out," charges say.
A woman who has known Perry since childhood told police that she spoke with Perry, who said during a phone call, "Something is going on. My girlfriend is gone, she is dead," charges allege.
Court documents say Perry walked in front of a Green Line train in St. Paul minutes after that call.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Helpline at 1-800-799-SAFE or Minnesota Day One at 1-866-223-1111.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs. Nick Lentz
contributed to this report.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fiery street racing crash on 110 Freeway in South L.A. caught on video
Two suspected street racers caused a fiery crash on the 110 Freeway in South Los Angeles early Sunday morning, sending four vehicles careening across all northbound lanes. The chaos — caught on dramatic video — unfolded around 2:30 a.m. near Florence Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol. CHP officials said the incident involved two separate collisions and is being investigated as a hit-and-run. Footage obtained by KTLA shows a white and a black sedan weaving dangerously between vehicles, appearing to race while recklessly cutting off other drivers. At the start of the video, the white car leads, with the black car close behind. As the white car swerves around an uninvolved driver, the black car attempts to follow — but fails destructively. The black sedan then cuts across three lanes and, instead of squeezing in between and beyond the two cars on either side, slams into the bystander on the right, triggering a violent chain reaction. The first car struck spins out, sending sparks flying across the freeway before slamming into a guardrail. On its way, it hits another car, which then shoots down the Gage Avenue exit at high speed. The force of the initial impact also sends the suspect vehicle ricocheting into another car on its left. That vehicle is pushed across five lanes before it appears to regain control near the center median. CHP and Los Angeles Fire Department crews arrived shortly after, shutting down all northbound lanes to assess damage and check for injuries. LAFD confirmed no one was transported from the scene. It remains unclear whether any arrests were made, but news stringer service reports that the black sedan and three other badly damaged vehicles were towed from the scene. The white sedan believed to be involved reportedly fled without stopping. Luis Zuniga contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Former Food Network Star Recalled Anne Burrell ‘Going Through Some Stuff' as Her Death Is Ruled a S*i*ide
- Anne Burrell's death, ruled a suicide, was caused by 'acute intoxication from diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine,' as per the NYC medical examiner.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Investigation underway after man shot to death in South Bay neighborhood
A man was shot to death inside of a 7-Eleven store in Lawndale on Sunday night. The shooting happened a little after 8 p.m. at the convenience store located in the 15800 block of Prairie Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Deputies arrived and found one man suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. He was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. The victim has not yet been identified. There was no information immediately available on the motive or suspects involved in the shooting. SkyCal flew over the 7-Eleven shortly after the incident was reported, where deputies could be seen surveying the area. The entrance to the store was blocked off by yellow tape. Anyone who knows more is asked to contact LASD's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
