Man in custody after St. Paul's third homicide of the week

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - One man is in custody on suspicion of killing his wife Saturday in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The incident occurred around 10 a.m. on the 1400 block of Payne Avenue. The St. Paul Fire Department was initially called to the scene on reports of a fire, but when they arrived with St. Paul Police Officers they located a woman who was gravely injured.

Medics pronounced the adult female dead at the scene. She has been identified as 58-year-old Dah Dah Ray of St. Paul.

According to Steve Linders of the St. Paul Police Department, authorities located an adult male inside the home and identified him as a suspect.

The man is Dah Eh Ray, 59. He was married to the victim, although Linders said police have reason to believe they “may have been estranged.”

It is believed that Ray did not live in the house and the victim did.

According to Ramsey County Court logs, Ray was arrested for violating a domestic abuse order for protection in June 2017. 

Linders said the victim and suspect did have children together, but it is not known if there were children in the home at the time of the incident.

Officers also told Fox 9 that there had been recent signs of looming trouble as officers were called here for three disturbances in June and over "missing persons" in July. 

Police say they do not know if a firearm was involved in the death.

Ray was interviewed and arrested at the scene. He is now being held in Ramsey County Jail.

Forensic services are currently looking through the evidence to determine how the woman may have died. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy and identify the victim.

The investigation is still open and active despite one person being taken into custody.

Bloody week in St. Paul

Saturday’s incident marks the third homicide of the week in St. Paul after police responded to homicides there Monday and Thursday, too.

“It’s tragic for our community and trying for our officers,” said Linders.

Community reactions

Rich Nymoen lives next door to where the incident occurred and he says it's "really hard to believe." 

Similarly, Alejandra Castillo, who attends a church in the area, was frightened by the turn of events in the east side neighborhood. 

"I'm scared" she said. "Especially when you saw it's a homicide."

She said she thought an incident like this could have been prevented. 

"In the end, this is what happens sometimes when the people don't say anything," she said.