Plea Deal For Rochester Man Charged in Wabasha County Murder Case

Wabasha, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man has worked out a plea agreement in a Wabasha County murder case.

Forty-five-year-old Craig Alan Hameister was arrested last June following a standoff with law enforcement at a property near Chester Woods Park, just east of Rochester. The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office issued a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents until Hameister was taken into custody.

Multiple Murder Charges

He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the death of 34-year-old Melissa Nicole Hunt. According to the criminal complaint, the Wabasha County Sheriff's Office responded to a medical call from a residence in Kellogg, where a woman drove into the driveway and the homeowner discovered she was suffering from significant facial injuries, including missing teeth and a portion of her jaw.

Melissa Hunt (GoFunde)

Victim Identified Her Killer

The court document says the woman was able to communicate with responding deputies and told them that “Craig” had struck her with a stick. She then tried to say his last name but was unable to complete it and began spelling it, which allowed deputies to confirm she was trying to identify Hameister.

The criminal complaint says Hunt told deputies the assault occurred at the new boat launch in rural Kellogg and stated that Hameister lived at a residence near Chatfield. She died from her injuries about 90 minutes after the initial 911 call.

Hours-Long Standoff Near Rochester

The charges state that law enforcement found Hameister's pickup truck at the Chatfield-area residence and spotted a 9mm bullet on the floor of the vehicle. A resident at the property told investigators that Hameister appeared “very frantic” and said “something bad happened” and “the cops would be coming” before he left on a motorcycle. The witness also reported that a 9mm handgun was missing.

Law enforcement reported that Hameister was apprehended after an hours-long standoff near an Olmsted County park. He had climbed into a tree in an attempt to avoid arrest, and a 9mm handgun was found at the base of the tree.

Google

According to the criminal complaint, a search of the boat launch near Kellogg led to the recovery of an unspent 9mm round. The autopsy report indicated that gunshot residue was found embedded in the wound on her face.

Plea Agreement

Under the terms of a plea agreement filed in Wabasha County Court, Hameister has agreed to enter a guilty plea to one count of second-degree murder in exchange for the dismissal of the other murder charge. The plea deal calls for a prison sentence of more than 34 years.

More Minnesota News: