Woman Killed in 'Grisly' Homicide in Shakopee; Suspect Arrested
Shakopee police are investigating a homicide after a woman was stabbed and beheaded mid-afternoon Wednesday on a residential street not far from downtown.
Authorities have not yet disclosed what led up to the woman's death, but have confirmed she was stabbed multiple times. The fatal attack was witnessed by several people in the area of Spencer St. S. & 4th Ave. E. just after 2:30 p.m.
Firefighters called to a medical in the area found the victim, America Mafalda Thayer, 55, of Shakopee, down in the street next to a vehicle. She was dead at the scene and a male suspect was seen fleeing east, possibly dropping a knife in the process, according to initial radio dispatches reviewed by MN CRIME.
Officers spotted the suspect, Alexis Saborit, 42, of Shakopee, walking in the area of Shenandoah Dr. & 4th Ave. E. and made contact with him just after 3:20 p.m., taking him into custody without incident shortly after. They made visual confirmation that Saborit matched the description of the suspect, initially provided by a firefighter first at the scene with the victim.
Video shared with us showed the woman shortly after the attack, lying in a pool of blood on the street outside of a vehicle. Fox 9 reported the victim and suspect appeared to be in some kind of relationship and sources told the news station the crime scene was “grisly.” The video and images from the scene appeared to show Thayer was beheaded during the attack, a detail later confirmed by local authorities.
Saborit is being held at the Scott County Jail on suspicion of 2nd-degree murder.
Agents with the BCA were en route to assist with investigation of the homicide, and Shakopee police confirmed the investigation, saying it does not appear the incident was random. Investigators believe the suspect knew the victim and this was not a random act of violence, according to a media release from the city.