Sheldon J. Thompson told several people he killed his pregnant girlfriend and her toddler son last weekend, according to charges filed Tuesday.

Thompson was charged with three counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of 27-year-old Jackie DeFoe; her son, Kevin; and her fetus.

Their bodies were found at their Cloquet residence on the Fond du Lac Reservation on Saturday.

DeFoe, who was 13 weeks pregnant, was found in a closet, her throat slit and "several deep lacerations on her body," charges say. The child, who would have turned 2 years old in June, was found in a different room with bruising around his head.

The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office ruled both deaths homicides, with stab wounds on DeFoe's body and "blunt force trauma" apparent on her son.

Thompson later "told a number of people that he killed [DeFoe] and her child," charges state, and in one instance he made a strangling gesture when describing the incident.

Jackie DeFoe and her son, Kevin

Charges say Thompson eventually called 911 to turn himself in but could not immediately be found Sunday; a helicopter and K-9 helped locate him in a wooded area near Mission Road later that night.

The motive remains unknown. The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating.

Thompson remains at the Carlton County Jail after a judge set his bail at $1 million Tuesday morning.

His next hearing is Monday.

The maximum sentence for each charge is 40 years in prison.