A Minnesota man was charged with his girlfriend’s murder and is now in custody after police say he attempted to flee by climbing a tree.
On June 19, the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that 44-year-old Craig Hameister had been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Melissa Hunt, 36. According to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime, police responded to a call from a homeowner in Kellogg, about 90 miles southeast of Minneapolis and near the Wisconsin border, after Hunt drove into their driveway with severe facial and jaw injuries.
When police arrived, Hunt claimed that Hameister had struck her with a stick at a nearby boat launch. She described his vehicle, a white pickup truck, and told police where he lived. She was taken to a hospital, where she died from her injuries. After an autopsy, the medical examiner determined that there was gunshot residue in her facial wounds.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators discovered an unspent round of ammunition near the boat launch.
As the investigation progressed, authorities discovered Hameister’s vehicle at another residence in Chatfield, Minnesota, approximately 40 miles south of Kellogg. The vehicle’s door was open, and investigators discovered a 9 mm round on the floor of the truck. Police spoke with the homeowners at the Chatfield residence, who confirmed that Hameister was present and appeared “very frantic,” claiming that “something bad happened.” He reportedly informed them that “cops would be coming.”
According to the complaint, another resident told police that her 9 mm handgun had gone missing after Hameister left the house on a motorcycle.
As the search for Hameister progressed, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office joined the investigation. The suspect was eventually apprehended after fleeing into a wooded area and climbing a tree.
According to the criminal complaint, Hameister allegedly engaged in a “hours-long standoff” with police while hiding in the tree. He was eventually taken into custody and returned to the Wabasha County Jail.
A 9 mm handgun was discovered near the tree Hameister had been hiding in.
Hameister was charged with two counts of second-degree murder—one with intent and one without intent—and one count of manslaughter. He is being held under a $2 million bond.
