2 arrested in deaths of mom, boy

Minneapolis police late Friday arrested two teenage boys in connection with the gruesome slayings on Thursday of a woman and her 10-year-old son. The suspects, both 17, were described as "acquainted with the victims," according to a police news release.

The two have been booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center on probable cause murder, but their names were not released because they are juveniles. Police had no further information about a possible motive, but said they were not searching for other suspects.

Police said earlier Friday that the killers hadn't forced their way inside the south Minneapolis duplex where Katricia Daniels, 36, and her 10-year-old son, Robert Shepard, lived. "It's too early in the investigation to give a definite scenario," said Lt. Amelia Huffman, head of the homicide unit.

Moments after hearing about the arrests, neighbor Brenda Taylor said, "We're celebrating. They got 'em."

Earlier Friday, Taylor and her two daughters stopped at one of the colorful makeshift memorials that had sprung up outside of Robert's home, school and the nearby recreation center.

At the memorial, they placed a trophy that Robert won at a basketball camp he attended last year with her 11-year-old son, Shaka.

Taylor said the neighbors are hoping to get in touch with Daniels' boyfriend, Joseph Williams, who discovered the bodies in their duplex in the 3600 block of 1st Avenue S., shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday.

Williams grabbed his blood-spattered 18-month-old daughter, who also had been in the duplex, and ran to a neighbor for help.

"There is a community that wants to help him out," Taylor said. "He needs to get in touch because we have a lot of people that want to help out."

Tammy Lehman, whose son, Tyler, 10, was also one of Robert's friends, said she felt better after hearing about the arrests.

'It's unconscionable'

Her son had stopped Friday to place a light-blue teddy bear near a pole outside Robert's house before running off in tears.

"It's hard to even face it as adults," she said. "I couldn't imagine this happening to anybody. It's unconscionable."

The Hennepin County medical examiner's office said late Friday that they had determined how Daniels, 36, and her son died, but they were waiting to release the information until they positively identified them through dental records.

Their deaths aren't as straightforward as somebody who has been shot, Huffman said Friday.

Outside Kenny Elementary School on Friday, dozens of Robert Shepard's inconsolable classmates and teachers gathered under a large shady tree to remember the boy they described as having boundless energy.

"He told me this was the best year of his life," his fourth-grade teacher Laurie Hanzal said. "It showed. Robert made great improvements in class."

Hanzal said a few weeks ago she made a deal with Robert and another classmate that if they kept doing well, she'd treat them to ice cream at Dairy Queen. On Wednesday, the last day of school, she made good on her promise.

Plans for the summer

They talked about Robert's plans for the summer, which included playing for the Dr. Martin Luther King Park youth baseball team and about how he looked forward to her being his fifth-grade teacher.

"He gave me a hug, said 'Thanks' and 'See you next year,'" Hanzal recalled when she dropped him off outside his home about 4 p.m. Wednesday.

At that same spot nearly 48 hours later, tears rushed down Hanzal's reddened face. She stared in bewilderment at a makeshift memorial for her former student.

"I can't take this," Hanzal said, walking slowly back to her van. "This is too much."

A memorial walk has been planned for the victims starting at 6 p.m. Monday outside their home and then traveling south to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 4055 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis.

dchanen@startribune.com • 612-673-4465 tcollins@startribune.com • 612-673-1790 lpabst@startribune.com • 612-673-4628