Man charged in Robbinsdale New Year's killing

October 1, 2008 - 2:51 PM

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/30029259.html?page=1&c=y

Update to this story.

A 27-year-old Minneapolis man has been arrested in a shocking New Year's Day home invasion and murder in Robbinsdale that stymied investigators for months, and a second man is in custody on another, possibly connected, shooting that night.

Hang 'em high.

The man attempted to remove her clothing as he continued to threaten her. Hearing his wife under attack, Marks jumped up and attempted to disarm the other suspect, the two other witnesses, said. One suspect then fired multiple times, shooting Marks in the chest. The two men, armed with long guns, then fled, the witnesses said.

Requiescat in pace, Mr. Marks.

Robbinsdale Police release two suspects, arrest two others, in murder case

January 29, 2008

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/01/30/breaking_news/1aro07suspectsreleased.txt

Two men arrested by Robbinsdale Police Saturday, Jan. 26, for suspected murder were released from jail shortly before 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28. But earlier that day, Robbinsdale Police arrested two other men in connection with the same case.

I won't draw any conclusions from this, but it does appear...interesting.

Robbinsdale police arrest two men in murder case

January 27, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/14455967.html

Robbinsdale police arrested two men on suspicion of murder Saturday, and they were being held in the Hennepin County jail.

Police would not confirm whether the men are suspects in a New Year's Day home invasion in which Jamis Marks, 28, was shot to death, but one was named a person of interest in an earlier search warrant connected to the case.

I will be interesting to see how much the crime rate in Robbinsdale drops with these two thugs in jail.

Robbinsdale home invasion: 2 'persons of interest' identified

January 23, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/14131052.html

Police have identified two Minneapolis men as "persons of interest" in the Robbinsdale home invasion during which a 28-year-old man was shot to death on New Year's Day.

Lots of coincidences, but no proof. The cell phone was in the area, a similar car was in a neighbor's security video, the 'persons of interest' are self-identified thugs, and both have a history with the police. I hope they can ratchet this up to proof and take these guys off the street. Sometimes, I think it's a shame that capital punishment doesn't happen in Minnesota.

The question I have is: Is there a point to announcing 'persons of interest' with enough detail that the thugs will recognize themselves? Are they trying to scare the thugs, or warn them? Wouldn't it be better to gather the proof and arrest them before they get a chance to leave town? Or, are they hoping other people will recognize the thugs and connect them to the crime?

I don't know, I'm not a police investigator. I'm just wondering.

Robbinsdale police investigating armed assault

January 17, 2008

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/01/18/local_news_update/1aro24aggassault.txt
More is Robbinsdale

Robbinsdale Police are investigating an alleged armed aggravated assault Jan. 13 in an apartment on the 4000 block of 37th Avenue.

The account:

At about 8:35 p.m., the man went to open his door for his girlfriend. As she entered, two men pushed their way into the apartment and rushed him, pushing him into a closet.

The intruders threatened the man with a gun, and then took his antique BB gun. During the fight, a third man entered the apartment.

Thankfully:

Neither the man nor his girlfriend reported injuries. They said they did not know the intruders. Nothing else was stolen and no shots were fired.

I don't know how to avoid this one. The girlfriend couldn't stay out in the hallway with the thugs. If she saw them, she could have warned her boyfriend, but unless he was armed, there wasn't much he could have done.

Police Look For Suspects In Home Invasion Murder

Jan 3, 2008

http://wcco.com/local/robbinsdale.home.intruder.2.622769.html

Police say they're still piecing together why Jamis Marks took on one of the intruders.

I can answer this question, with the next line of the article.

The two men roughed up the wife of Jamis Marks and his friend, striking both on the head.

From the article:

Another chilling account from that night is the 911 phone call where Jamis Marks' wife tells a dispatcher, "Something is happening, I think my husband is dead. I hear him moaning. I hear him moaning. Please, please hurry."

On Jamis Marks' MySpace page a friend describes what he did by writing, "thank you for saving everyone's life that night. You are truly a hero. I will NEVER EVER forget you or what you have done for me in giving me a second chance at life."

I have nothing else to add.

Police: Man Shot, Killed During Home Invasion

Jan 1, 2008

http://wcco.com/crime/home.invasion.robbinsdale.2.621188.html

They're starting early this year.

A man died early Tuesday morning after a home invasion in Robbinsdale, Minn., police said.

I'm interested in the rest of the story. There's got to be a way to make this not 'random'.

Officers were called to a house on the 2700 block of York Avenue North around 2:45 a.m. When officers arrived, they found four victims of a home invasion.

The first invasion of the year, and it comes with a murder.

One of the victims had been shot. He was taken to North Memorial Medical Center where he died.

Two suspects? Can we have descriptions, please?

The Robbinsdale Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office are looking for two suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call 763-531-1220.

Happy New Year.

Update:

We have the time of the attack.

At approximately 2:45 a.m.

We also have a description, of sorts.

Robbinsdale Police and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department are looking for two suspects in their early 20s, one of average build and one of heavy build.

Robbinsdale girl, 11, safe after being kidnapped

11/26/2007

http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_7561998

An 11-year-old Robbinsdale girl is safe after being kidnapped Saturday and left inside a vacant house.

A man broke into the girl's home Saturday morning and took her to a vacant house in Brooklyn Center, where he tied her up and left her, KARE-11 said in a report.

I can't think of anything more invasive and terrifying than my kids disappearing from their beds.

Good for her for getting away. Escaping on her own will hopefully help her psychologically more that being kidnapped, bound, and abandoned will hurt her.