Charge: Heated argument led to fatal stabbing in St. Paul home

A 57-year-old man fatally stabbed his roommate at their home in St. Paul last week after the two had a heated argument, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.

Alvin R. Stafford Sr. was charged in Ramsey County District Court with second-degree unintentional murder in connection with the attack late Friday morning on Randall B. Williams, 37, at the home in the 1500 block of Iglehart Avenue.

Stafford remained jailed in lieu of $1 million bail ahead of a court appearance Tuesday. Court records do not yet list an attorney for him.

Officers arrived at the scene and found Williams with a chest wound, police said. Emergency responders took him to Regions Hospital, where he died.

According to the criminal complaint:

Shortly before the stabbing, Williams was arguing with his girlfriend about missing money. Stafford intervened and told Williams to leave the woman alone.

The woman said she went to her bedroom, heard the two men continuing to argue, followed by the sound of "things getting knocked over," the complaint read. She said she came out of her room to see Williams bleeding.

After his arrest at the scene, Stafford admitted that he pushed Williams out of the home to the spot outside where officers and medics located him. Stafford denied knowing how Williams was injured.

In response to police telling him Williams had died, Stafford said he believed Williams had a gun but acknowledged never seeing a gun.

Court records show that Stafford's criminal history includes convictions for threats of violence, drug dealing and violation of domestic abuse protection orders.

There have been 28 homicides in St. Paul this year.