Suspect in Burnsville couple's stabbing charged

One of the victims told police he used a child's scooter to fend off the attacker. A 18-year-old Eagan man is accused.

By ABBY SIMONS, Star Tribune

Last update: April 10, 2009 - 11:50 PM

Prosecutors charged an Eagan man Friday with assault and attempted murder in connection with the stabbings of a Burnsville man and woman earlier in the week.

A criminal complaint filed in Dakota County District Court says 18-year-old Taylor Pass broke his knife while stabbing the pair, retrieved another and continued his attack, gravely wounding them.

Tina SanRoman, 35, and Odai Al-Refo, 24, were stabbed in their backs and necks at a townhouse in the 1600 block of Riverwood Drive, about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Both were in Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. SanRoman was in critical condition, while Al-Refo was in stable condition.

The complaint does not give a motive for the attack. A 9-year-old child in the townhouse was unharmed.

Al-Refo told police "Taylor" stabbed them, and he gave them the telephone number of a woman who knew Taylor's full name. Savage police arrested him a short time later. A call to Pass' attorney, Arlene Perkkio, was not returned.

Al-Refo told investigators that he paid rent to SanRoman to sleep on her sofa. He emerged from a shower to find the attacker atop SanRoman in the garage.

According to the complaint:

Pass told Al-Refo that SanRoman was choking. When Al-Refo tried to help, Pass stabbed him in the neck. Al-Refo put Pass in a headlock, and Pass stabbed him in the back.

The knife broke, and Pass went inside, grabbed another and returned. Al-Refo grabbed a child's scooter and fended him off.

Pass is charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault. He was in the Dakota County jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, pending his next court appearance May 4.

Abby Simons • 612-673-4921