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Police say they have a suspect in custody in connection with a suspicious death and sexual assault investigation in east St. Paul.


Officers were called to the 1500 block of Jessamine Lane just before 7 a.m. on a report of an adult woman found dead. While at the townhome, they also found a teenage girl who had been sexually assaulted. Police took the teenager to the hospital for treatment and to be interviewed.


Police found and arrested a 33-year-old East St. Louis, Ill., man, a suspect in both cases, police spokesperson Steve Linders said. The man is being held on suspicion of kidnapping and sexual assault.


"They found him downtown, I don't know the exact address, but he was arrested without incident," Linders said. "There's a lot of work that goes into these and I can tell you that the investigators and the officers on scene were personally affected by this so there was a sigh of relief when he was found."


The man was known to both of the victims, police said.


Linders said the death is being investigated as a homicide, but the Ramsey County Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause and manner of death, which could take several days.

Crime, Law and Justice

Peter Cox

Author

St. Paul police called to investigate a suspicious death Monday morning found a teenage girl at an east side townhome who had been sexually assaulted. A suspect is being held on suspicion of kidnapping and sexual assault.

St. Paul Police Department Spokesman Steve Linders

Suspect arrested after suspicious death, sexual assault in St. Paul

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