Shakopee murder charges: Man beheaded girlfriend, dumped body in intersection
America Thayer, 55, was found beheaded in Shakopee, Minnesota Wednesday afternoon. (FOX 9)
SHAKOPEE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man was charged with murder Friday for allegedly beheading his girlfriend and dumping her body in the street in Shakopee, Minnesota earlier this week.
Alexis Saborit, 42, of Shakopee is charged with second-degree intentional murder in the death of America Thayer, 55 on Wednesday.
According to the charges, Shakopee police officers responded to the intersection of 4th Avenue and Spencer Street around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday after someone called police to report they saw a man, later identified as Saborit, throw a headless body out of a car at the intersection. When they arrived, they found Thayer’s body lying on the ground next to a car.
Several people witnessed the incident. They described seeing a car stop near the intersection and the driver, Saborit, swinging an object near the passenger door. He then reportedly dragged what looked like a body out of the car and walked away from the scene.
Someone who lived nearby had also taken cell phone video from inside their house that captured part of the alleged murder.
Officers searched the area for a man matching the description of the suspect, as well as any potential evidence. They found an empty sheath for what appeared to be a machete-style knife lying in the grass a few feet from the crime since.
Some officers at the crime scene were familiar with Thayer and knew she was dating Saborit, who matched the description of the suspect.
Officers located Saborit near Shenandoah Parkway and Highway 101. He tried to walk away from them, but was eventually taken into custody in the Murphy’s Landing parking lot.
In an interview with police, Saborit said he and Thayer had been dating for several years. He said they were together earlier in the day at a park and were planning to go together to a court appearance he had that day. On the way to court, Thayer reportedly told him she wanted to break up with him.
Saborit admitted he used a knife to kill Thayer because she had "gone too far," the charges say.
On Wednesday, someone called 911 to report their dog had found a knife plunged into a garden near the intersection where Thayer's body was found. The knife was covered with a blood-like substance, had strands of hair on it and appeared to fit the sheath found at the crime scene.
Saborit is currently in custody.