Man indicted in murder of Eagan woman and unborn baby

DAKOTA COUNTY, Minn. (KMSP) - A Dakota County Grand Jury indicted a Brooklyn Park man with two counts of first degree murder and two counts of second degree murder after he allegedly killed a woman and her unborn child.

Vern Jason Mouelle, 23, will make his first appearance on Monday February 27. His bail is set at $2 million without conditions.

According to police, on January 24, a relative found 25-year-old Senicha Marie Lessman naked and unresponsive with a bloody cloth stuffed in her mouth in the bedroom of her Eagan home. Medics later pronounced her dead. Lessman was about 32 weeks pregnant; her unborn child also died in the incident.

Police learned Mouelle was the father of the unborn baby that an SUV matching the description of Mouelle's vehicle had been parked in the driveway earlier that day.

When officers executed a search warrant for the SUV, they found a receipt for a pocket knife purchased that day, Lessman's cell phone, a bloody trashcan and bloody women's clothing.

An autopsy revealed Lessman died from a knife wound to her neck.

“These charges reflect allegations that this was a premeditated and intentional domestic-related homicide which tragically claimed the life of Senicha Lessman and her unborn child," said Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. "Our deep sympathy is extended to the victim’s family and friends.”