A Rochester man accused of killing a Wabasha County woman last June has agreed to plead guilty to one count of second-degree murder in a deal that would send him to prison for more than 34 years. The agreement would close a case that launched a multi-agency manhunt and led to a temporary shelter-in-place order in Olmsted County.
Plea deal details
Under the agreement reported this week, 44-year-old Craig Alan Hameister will plead guilty to a single count of second-degree murder, while prosecutors will drop a second murder charge, according to WJON. The deal calls for a prison sentence of more than 34 years, the outlet reports, although a judge still has to sign off on the plea before any sentencing can happen. Hameister’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
How investigators say the attack unfolded
According to the criminal complaint cited by local reporters, deputies were dispatched on June 18 after a woman drove into a Kellogg driveway with severe facial injuries and identified her attacker only as Craig. The woman, identified in court records as Melissa Hunt, told deputies the assault happened at a new boat launch in rural Kellogg. She was taken to a hospital, where she died about 90 minutes later, as reported by KROC-AM. Those initial details kicked off the intensive search that pulled in multiple law enforcement agencies.
Evidence and autopsy
An autopsy later found gunshot residue embedded in the wound on Hunt’s face, and investigators recovered an unspent 9mm round at the boat launch, according to case records. Court filings and local coverage also note that a 9mm round was found on the floor of a pickup linked to the suspect, and that a 9mm handgun was discovered near where Hameister had taken shelter in the woods. Those findings were detailed in reporting on the criminal complaint and the medical examiner’s report by the Post Bulletin.
Standoff and arrest
Law enforcement eventually tracked Hameister to Marion Township and set up a perimeter, which led to an emergency shelter-in-place advisory for nearby residents, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office said in a media release. According to the sheriff’s office, Hameister was found hiding in a wooded area and surrendered after an hours-long standoff. Local reporting notes that a 9mm handgun was recovered at the base of the tree he had climbed. Those developments were described in a release from the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and contemporaneous coverage by area outlets.
Legal next steps
Hameister was originally charged with two counts of second-degree murder. The plea deal would resolve one of those counts in exchange for a guilty plea on the other, according to WJON. Defense attorneys had earlier filed motions seeking to dismiss one of the charges and to exclude certain statements Hameister allegedly made to police, according to court filings and reporting by KAAL. If the judge accepts the plea agreement, the court will set a sentencing date in line with the negotiated terms.
Family and community
In the aftermath of Hunt’s death, family members launched an online fundraiser, and friends say the community has kept a close eye on the case as it moved through the courts. Upcoming hearings will appear on the public court calendar once the plea is formally entered and scheduled in Wabasha County Court, as reported by the Post Bulletin.
