A Farmington man has been indicted on murder charges for killing the mother of his kids on Christmas Eve in what appeared to be a failed murder-suicide attempt.
A Dakota County grand jury indicted Demarco Marquie Jones, 30, on one count of first-degree premeditated murder, one count of first-degree murder while committing domestic abuse with a past pattern of domestic abuse and one count of second-degree intentional murder.
According to court documents, the victim, Tatianna Marie Ehnes-Giles, was killed on her 26th birthday.
Ehnes-Giles’s mother found her covered in blood in her bed and Jones “in a trance” and on the ground.
Ehnes-Giles’s brother, who also lives at the home, and her mother both told deputies that Jones admitted to shooting Ehnes-Giles and then shooting himself.
When medics arrived, Ehnes-Giles was already dead and Jones was taken to a hospital where he survived his injuries.
Court documents also state that the couple’s two children were also in the home at the time and were the first to alert their grandmother that something was wrong. One of the kids ran downstairs and reported being scared after hearing two loud bangs. Both kids then went upstairs before running back down and saying, “Daddy fell.”
That’s when Jones told the victim’s mother that he was shot and also shot Ehnes-Giles, according to the criminal complaint.
Jones faces a life sentence if convicted.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, several resources are available to offer help. For immediate help, contact:
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
- Minnesota Day One at 866-223-1111.
- The Women’s Advocates crisis line at 651-227-8284.
More than 12 million people just in the U.S. are affected by domestic violence every year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The organizations listed above can help connect victims to resources like safe shelter, advocacy, legal help and support groups.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to see those.
Other organizations that can help include:
- Violence Free Minnesota at 651-646-6177 or 800-289-6177.
- STANDPOINT(formerly the Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project) at 612-343-9842.
- Mending the Sacred Hoop at 888-305-1650.
- Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault at 612-209-9993.
Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for victims of crimes that can be found HERE.
Courtesy of KSTP
