Man stabbed ex-girlfriend at her St. Paul workplace, then set her on fire, charges say

A 47-year-old man with a history of domestic abuse and psychological difficulties was charged Wednesday with fatally stabbing his former girlfriend at her St. Paul workplace and then setting her on fire before going directly to Bloomington and torching his home.

Patrick M. Simmons was charged in Ramsey County District Court with second-degree intentional murder in connection with the death Tuesday morning of Kelli R. Goodermont. The 44-year-old Goodermont, of Bloomington, was inside the SBS Group trucking facilities in the 1700 block of Wynne Avenue at the time she was killed.

Simmons was quickly arrested near his home in the 5000 block of Nine Mile Creek Circle. He remains jailed in lieu of $3 million bail ahead of a court appearance Thursday. Court records do not list an attorney for him. Arson charges in Hennepin County also are pending.

Simmons' criminal history in Minnesota includes numerous convictions for assault.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office said Goodermont died from stab wounds to the face, neck and shoulder that punctured her jugular veins, the criminal complaint read.

Simmons' father told the Star Tribune on the day of the killing and fires that his son was a truck driver who worked at the same building as Goodermont, at the facility near the intersection of Snelling and Como avenues.

According to the complaint:

A coworker told police that she saw Simmons talking with Goodermont that morning and then punch her before pouring gasoline on her while she was on the floor. Another worker saw Goodermont running around as she was engulfed in flames.

Simmons kicked Goodermont and emerged from the smoke holding a lighter and lunged at a worker who put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. Simmons soon left.

Coworkers went to Simmons' home and found him parked in his car nearby, yelling that Goodermont was a witch and killing children. The coworkers spotted police responding to the fire and alerted them to Simmons' location. His clothes were bloodied, his face was covered in soot, and his hair and eyebrows were singed.

Under questioning by police, Simmons went on about Goodermont being a witch, men in devil masks and a contract on his life. He admitted dousing Goodermont with gasoline and stabbing her at least six times. He said he lit his house on fire because of paranormal activity going on there.

In June 2021, according to court records, Goodermont sought an order of protection. The two had been romantically involved for more than a decade until last summer and shared a home for some of the years they were together until 2018, her court filing disclosed.

In what she described as the latest round of physical abuse from the man, Goodermont said that last June he assaulted her, threatened to kill her and drugged her without her knowledge. Then she requested the protection order be dismissed after less than a month.

Goodermont had shown coworkers photos of injuries that Simmons had inflicted on her, the criminal complaint said.

"He was fixated on the occult and devil worship," Simmons' father said. "They were out to get him. I thought he was going crazy [and had been] doing good in terms of not drinking and doing drugs."

In 2013, another Twin Cities woman sought a court order for protection from the man. She alleged he was extremely abusive and would call and text her incessantly.

Kim Esso, a childhood friend of Goodermont, said in an online fund-raising campaign, "We are all devastated over this unimaginable loss."

Esso described Goodermont as "such an incredible spirit. She had such a quiet toughness about her while also having the sweetest, most thoughtful heart of anyone in the world."

Goodermont was a mother to three daughters, and they are "now left without their main caretaker and support system, and we, as her friends, are desperate to try to provide some sort of support for them."

Esso included with her posting the contact information for the National Domestic Abuse Hotline, and added, "Rest in peace, sweet Kelli. No more pain. No more hiding. No more hurt. Fly free and enjoy a better view from the peaceful skies. We will all be ready to give you hugs and love on the other side."