Man charged in stabbing death of ex-girlfriend in St. Paul

Less than two weeks after Miranda Schunk obtained a protection order against a violent ex-boyfriend, he returned to her apartment and fatally stabbed her, inflicting wounds to her head, chest and abdomen, according to murder charges filed Wednesday.

Kevin S. Evans, 49, who has no known permanent address, was charged in Ramsey County District Court with one count of second-degree murder in Schunk's death. Schunk was stabbed repeatedly about 8:30 p.m. Sunday in her apartment in the 300 block of N. Dale Street in St. Paul, and died about four hours later at Regions Hospital.

Evans is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Schunk, a 38-year-old mother of three, had obtained an order for protection against Evans on Dec. 19, saying that he had been violent and threatened her. The two dated from June 2014 to December.

"I've decided to leave the relationship due to the respondent's explosive temperament and abusive behavior," according to Schunk's petition for the order. "I am really afraid that [Evans] will follow through with his threats and do serious harm to me, at times I am afraid to leave my home."

Schunk wrote that on Dec. 17, she ran into Evans at the library, and that he punched her in the face after she declined to engage in conversation with him. Evans appeared outside her apartment that evening and banged and kicked on her door for about 15 minutes while wielding a large knife, the petition said.

"I was so terrified, I believe had he gained access he would have killed me with the knife," Schunk wrote in the petition.

On Sunday evening, according to the murder charges, a resident of Schunk's building let Evans inside, where he allegedly stabbed Schunk repeatedly.

Officers found Schunk lying in the hallway, "drenched" in blood and breathing shallowly, the complaint said. A trail of blood led to a stairwell, and Schunk's apartment was covered in blood. A knife was located in the bedroom.

Schunk suffered three major stab wounds — one to the chest and two the abdomen, according to the complaint. She also had wounds to her hands, arms and face.

Evans was arrested Monday at the Minneapolis Public Library. He told police that he had wanted to talk to Schunk about the order for protection, the complaint said. He said that a neighbor let him into the building, and later joined him and Schunk in Schunk's apartment.

The neighbor eventually left, Evans allegedly told police, and Schunk said she was in another relationship. Evans also allegedly told police that he stabbed Schunk with a steak knife from the kitchen after she pushed him and swung a stick or mop handle at him.

"This is a tragic case where a history of domestic violence and terroristic threats escalated into homicidal violence," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a statement.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708