New evidence emerges in Eagan teen's murder trial

An Eagan teen accused of fatally stabbing a woman in April is released on lower bail for the rest of his trial.

By JOY POWELL, Star Tribune

Last update: November 3, 2009 - 7:32 PM

For the closing arguments today in his second-degree murder trial in Dakota County, Taylor Pass will arrive not in shackles but walking freely with his family at his side.

Pass, 19, is accused of fatally stabbing Tina SanRoman, 35, in her Burnsville townhouse garage in April.

On Friday, District Court Judge Patrice Sutherland lowered Pass' bail from $750,000 to $50,000 at the request of defense attorney Arlene Perkkio. Pass posted bail and was released that evening and was placed under house arrest with GPS monitoring.

Since his arrest on April 7, Pass had been held in the Dakota County jail. But on Friday, after revelations of new evidence surprised the defense and prosecution alike, the judge had said she'd entertain a defense motion for lower bail.

The state maintains that Pass stabbed SanRoman, who died days later, and also stabbed her boarder, who survived. According to prosecutors, Pass stabbed SanRoman after voicing desires that he wanted to adopt her 9-year-old son, Brendon Kulyas, but the motive for the killing remains unknown.

Perkkio, however, suggested that the boarder, Odai Al-Refo, 24, might have stabbed SanRoman.

Perkkio said questions arose after it was learned that police never disclosed evidence they received in July from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

That evidence was DNA from at least two people, found on a hat in the garage, and from at least three people found on a sweatshirt in the house the night of the slaying. It's unknown who owned the garments or how long they were there.

The DNA was not that of Pass, SanRoman or Al-Refo, experts said. And Pass' DNA was not on knives found at the scene.

Perkkio also said tests showed that a drop of blood containing Pass' DNA was found in the driveway, but that evidence also was not disclosed until Friday.

Perkkio has maintained that Pass was injured when Al-Refo hit him in the head with a scooter. She noted that the blood on the scooter was never tested, either.

Pass, of Eagan, declined to comment.

Joy Powell • 952-882-9017

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