Third man charged in fatal shooting of St. Paul woman

A 30-year-old Minneapolis man was charged with murder Monday in the fatal shooting of a St. Paul woman after he and two other men burglarized her East Side apartment.

Albert G. McIntosh was charged in Ramsey County District Court with second-degree murder in the death of Sarah A. Wierstad. Wierstad, 24, was shot Oct. 18 after she arrived home from work shortly before 8 p.m. and found three men rummaging through her house in an apparent random burglary.

Since Thursday, three men — McIntosh, Isiah L. Harper, 26, of Minneapolis, and Alvin R. Bell, 24, address unknown — have been charged in the case. Harper was charged with first-degree aggravated robbery and first-degree burglary, while Bell was charged with second-degree murder after it was initially believed he fired the fatal shots.

"In light of this new information" involving McIntosh, however, the Ramsey County attorney's office is in the process of reexamining the charges against Bell. Amended charges could be filed in the next day or so, said spokeswoman Erica Schumacher.

Information pulled from criminal complaints filed against the men provides a narrative of what happened that night:

The men selected Wierstad's apartment in the Railroad Island neighborhood at random. Bell and McIntosh entered the unit to look for items when they heard a noise at the back door. A light turned on, and Wierstad stepped inside.

McIntosh pointed a gun at her, then Bell or McIntosh ordered her to the ground.

"She was on her knees," and McIntosh and Bell "were talking back and forth," the complaint against Harper stated.

Bell grabbed Wierstad's purse from her shoulder. Harper ran out the front door with other stolen items and later told police that he heard McIntosh order Wierstad to stay on the ground until the men left.

As they fled, Wierstad followed out the door to ask for her phone, telling them that her 5-year-old daughter was about to return home. One man hollered "Stay back. Stop following us."

Harper told investigators that once "they" returned to the vehicle, he heard an exchange between Wierstad and McIntosh about her phone and her daughter, and then gunshots.

One bullet struck Wierstad's left foot. Another tore through her arm and heart, killing her.

Police later examined Wierstad's apartment and noticed items that looked out of place. Officers also found a kitchen window screen had been cut. Fingerprints found on the window matched those of Bell, and surveillance video later showed him using her credit card at a gas station, according to the complaints.

McIntosh initially denied knowing the other men or knowing anything about the murder. He has previous felony convictions for car theft and burglary.

Meanwhile, a 42-year-old woman arrested in connection with the case was released from the Ramsey County jail last week. A spokesman for the county attorney's office said charges against her are not expected at this time.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495

Twitter: @nicolenorfleet