Woman Found Dead After Apartment Fire in North St. Paul; Suspect Arrested
A Bureau of Criminal Apprehension crime scene team at a death investigation Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022 in North St. Paul. MN CRIME PHOTO
A woman was found dead and a man was taken into custody after fire crews responded to an apartment building on fire on the 2200 block of South Ave. E. just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25.
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Firefighters extinguished the fire and investigators discovered the woman’s remains inside the apartment. There were no other injuries reported and the total amount of damage to the structure was not immediately released.
Police say Melvin Bilbro, 41, of North St. Paul, was located and taken into custody by officers around 4 a.m. on Friday after investigators found him sleeping under a Hwy. 36 overpass.
Bilbro is being held on probable cause second-degree murder and a parole violation.
Bilbro has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for assault, criminal sexual conduct and attempted murder.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victim as Shanna Renae Daniels, 43.
Police say the investigation is ongoing with the help of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Daniels’ cause of death and the cause of the apartment fire have not yet been released.
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