ST PAUL, Minn. — The Ramsey County Medical Examiner has identified the woman severely burned and stabbed to death inside a St. Paul warehouse Tuesday morning as Kelli R. Goodermont, 44, of Bloomington, Minnesota.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Patrick Morris Simmons, 44 , also of Bloomington, who has been charged with one count of second-degree murder.
Simmons made his first court appearance in Ramsey County Court via Zoom Thursday morning. His appointed defense attorney, John Riemer, requested a Rule 20 mental health evaluation, which was granted by Judge Reynaldo Aligada. Bail was set at $2 million, with the judge citing public safety concerns and allegations that Simmons fled from police following the alleged murder.
St. Paul police spokesperson Sgt. Natalie Davis told reporters during a news conference Tuesday that squads were dispatched to the 1700 block of Wynne Avenue, which is in the city's Como neighborhood, around 9 a.m. on reports of a woman on fire. Responding officers found Goodermont who was severely burned, unresponsive and not breathing. First responders attempted lifesaving measures but she was declared dead on the scene.
KARE 11's Jennifer Hoff spoke Tuesday with the victim's ex-husband, Tyler Goodermont, who says he found out about Kelli's murder around 9 a.m. Tuesday.
"It was absolutely horrible...I just, she was a wonderful mother. I just feel so bad for my kids," he said. "I'm just kind of here with my daughters...and now my daughters have no mother now."
In a criminal complaint, attorneys say a coworker had seen Simmons and Kelli speaking together just before her murder. The coworker says Simmons punched Kelli before pouring liquid on her and lighting her on fire.
Another coworker responded to the incident after hearing someone yell "Fire! Fire! Someone call the ambulance." The complaint says the coworker managed to put out the flames, but by the time the employee had done so, Kelli was not moving. This same employee was later allegedly confronted by Simmons who had a lighter, lunged at him and had a "crazed and evil look in his eyes," before casually departing from the scene after the coworker said, "Hey, I ain't on that with you."
Simmons later fled the scene in a Chevrolet Cruze, according to the complaint.
After being taken into custody at his home in Bloomington, the complaint goes on to state Simmons was interviewed by investigators, and at one point admitted to tossing gasoline on Goodermont, before using his lighter to set it ablaze. The complaint also states he claimed he had stabbed Goodermont with a knife "6 or 7 times."
In the complaint, Simmons alleged he had been planning to commit the crime for weeks.
The criminal complaint says the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office later conducted an autopsy on Goodermont and determined she had "multiple sharp force injuries" across her body — which the medical examiner ultimately concluded was the cause of Goodermont's death.
Simmons' second-degree murder charge carries a maximum sentence of 40 years. His first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.