ST PAUL, Minn. — A St. Paul man has been charged in his wife's death after he allegedly called the police to confess.
The Ramsey County Attorney's Office charged 46-year-old Johnny Ray Aldridge with one count of second-degree murder Wednesday. Police say he called dispatchers at 3 a.m. Tuesday, telling them he'd killed his wife inside a home on the city's north end. His first court appearance is set for Thursday morning.
According to St. Paul police spokesperson Steve Linders, Aldridge told dispatchers he was in the parking lot at police headquarters.
"I just killed someone, and I'm outside your front door," Linders quoted Aldridge as saying.
Aldridge reportedly told police they would find his wife inside their home on the 30 block of Winnipeg Avenue West, near the intersection with Sylvan Street by Oakland Cemetery.
Officials identified her Wednesday as 41-year-old Caitlin Aldridge of St. Paul.
Officers were dispatched to the home and found the woman dead, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Her death marks St. Paul's 30th homicide of the year. Linders says last year marked a record for murders, and says this year's numbers are on pace to exceed 2020.
Linders said police have had contact with Aldridge four times in the last year. He also noted that this homicide is considered domestic in nature and urged anyone caught in the cycle of violence to reach out.
"We have programs and partnerships in place to help people who are in abusive relationships, and encourage them to call for help," Linders said, pointing to the St. Paul Intervention Project and the Blueprint for Safety, an international model of excellence that involves domestic violence advocates, police, the County Attorney's Office and the Ramsey County Courts.
According to 2019 data from the Minnesota Department of Health, about 21 Minnesotans are killed every year by an intimate partner. Some reports say domestic violence is up by nearly 10% nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
If you or anyone you know is in danger, here are some resources:
- In Minnesota, call Women's Advocates Crisis Line: 651-227-8284
- In Minnesota, call Cornerstone’s Day One Crisis Hotline at 1-866-223-1111
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Always call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
- The Domestic Abuse Project offers assistance
- The Domestic Abuse Service Center lists resources available through Hennepin County