Man charged with murder in St. Paul stabbing
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A 46-year-old St. Paul man is facing murder charges in connection to a fatal stabbing this week in the capital city.
Dwight Ford is charged with second-degree murder in the Monday killing of 41-year-old Christopher Pryor, court documents filed in Ramsey County show.
According to a criminal complaint, Ford told investigators that he stabbed Pryor after he and others were smoking crack in an apartment on the 100 block of Winnipeg Avenue in the city's North End neighborhood.
Ford said that Pryor accused his girlfriend of stealing $120 from him. This led to an argument, the complaint states, and Ford grabbed a knife after his girlfriend started to "look scared."
A fight broke out and Ford stabbed Pryor two to three times, he told investigators.
The medical examiner found that Pryor suffered multiple stab wounds to his chest and abdomen. He died just hours after being released from jail, the complaint states. His death marked the 20th homicide in St. Paul this year.
After the stabbing, Ford fled the apartment, and investigators found his phone at the scene. Surveillance video also showed him talking on the phone outside the apartment hours before the stabbing.
Three days later, Ford went to the home of his ex-girlfriend's mother, who called 911 and reported that he was involved in the stabbing, the complaint states. Officers responded and arrested him.
Ford is currently listed as a non-compliant predator offender, prosecutors say, noting that he's been convicted of kidnapping, terroristic threats, rape, various counts of assault, and escaping from custody.
If convicted of the murder charge, Ford faces up to 40 years in prison. He remains in jail on $1 million bail.