A grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly decapitating his girlfriend. Alexis Saborit, 42, already faced a count of second-degree murder, but jurors added first-degree murder on top of that, according to WCCO. He cut off America Mafalda Thayer‘s head, and dumped her remains at an intersection, said authorities in Scott County, Minnesota.
First-degree murder in Minnesota carries a life sentence. Second-degree murder brings a prison sentence of up to 40 years behind bars.
“Officers arrived at the scene and observed a female, naked from the waist up, lying with her feet towards the curb and her shoulders near an open car door,” stated the charging document. “The woman had been decapitated and her head was lying approximately one foot away from her body. There were large amounts of blood on the ground and in the passenger side of the vehicle.”
At least one witness recorded the incident, officers said.
“The video was taken from inside a residence,” officials wrote. “Through a window, the suspect can be seen pulling Victim’s body out of the vehicle. The suspect picks up Victim’s head and moves it away from the body. At the end of the video, the suspect is seen reaching into the back seat of the vehicle.”
Investigators said they found the apparent murder-weapon, a machete with sheath.
Another witness said that he was with the couple that day. Thayer, 55, was attempting to convince Saborit to go to court on an unrelated matter.
“Witness 3 said Victim was upset that the Defendant may get into trouble for missing court, but things seemed fine between the two of them,” authorities wrote. “Witness 3 mentioned that Victim told him the Defendant often carries a machete on him.”
Saborit allegedly confessed after hearing his Miranda rights.
“The Defendant said they were together earlier in the day and went to the park,” authorities wrote. “The Defendant said they were going to go to his court appearance together. On the way to court, Victim told the Defendant she wanted to get rid of the Defendant and end her relationship with him. The Defendant said he used a knife to kill Victim because she had “gone too far” in her abuse of him and in her comments about ending their relationship.”
Aaron Keller contributed to this report.
[Booking photo via Scott County Jail]
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