DNA on Soda Cans Leads to Charges in St. Paul Park Burglaries
A Faribault man has been charged in relation to a St. Paul Park burglary after DNA left on discarded Coke Zero cans tied him to the crime scene.
According to a criminal complaint, Michael Walter Kaste Fafara, 30, entered a garage service door of a residence on the 1400 block of Summit Ave. on Oct. 11, 2019.
The homeowner reported that a weed whacker and a battery from the garage were missing. The homeowner also reported that a Coke Zero soda can was left on the garage floor.
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That same morning, another homeowner on the 1400 block of Portland Ave. in St. Paul Park reported that someone entered their garage and that three Smith & Wesson handguns were missing. Officers noticed that Coke Zero cans were stored in the garage, and were sequential in number to the can found on Summit Ave.
Officers sent the Coke Zero cans to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for DNA analysis. On June 1, 2020, the BCA reported that the DNA matched the profile of Fafara.
Officers attempted to interview Fafara multiple times before ultimately speaking to him over the phone, but he declined to answer questions.
Fafara is currently incarcerated in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Moose Lake on unrelated felony weapons charges.
According to court records, Fafara has been convicted of multiple felonies in the past, including burglary, receiving stolen property and predatory offender violations dating back to 2010.
Fafara could face up to 20 years in prison.
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