Authorities ID woman found slain in St. Paul apartment; man charged

Authorities identified on Thursday the 21-year-old woman slain shortly after midnight Wednesday in her St. Paul apartment and charged a 23-year-old man with her murder.

Terrion L. Sherman was arrested at the residence in connection with the death of Abigail E. Simpson in the 300 block of N. Pierce Street and charged Thursday in Ramsey County District Court with second-degree intentional murder.

While en route to jail, Sherman broke out the back of the police squad car window and said he was on drugs, according to the criminal complaint. Medics interceded and took him to Regions Hospital for evaluation before he was jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

Simpson suffered "a series of sharp-force injuries including stab and incision-type wounds" to her scalp, face, neck and lower extremities, the complaint read.

A 2-year-old boy, identified by Sherman as his nephew, was next to Simpson's body and had blood on his face, torso, pants and shoes, the complaint continued. Police said he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Sherman, of Fridley, told police investigators that his nephew "became possessed by a dog and told Sherman that [Simpson] was really a guy," the complaint read. He added that Simpson also told him she was a man.

He went on to claim that Simpson came at him with a knife, and he responded by slamming her head against a cast-iron radiator.

Sherman said he is prescribed medications but "does not need them, because he is not crazy," according to the complaint. Also, contradicting what he said earlier while in the squad car, Sherman denied being on the influence of any other drugs at the time of the violence.