St. Paul woman shot to death in North End apartment is identified

Authorities identified a 35-year-old St. Paul woman found shot to death last week in a North End apartment.

The St. Paul Police Department said Damara Alexis Stowers was the woman found shot in her apartment on Oct. 19.

Officers found Stowers about 9 p.m. in the dwelling in the 100 block of Sycamore Street E. after reports of a shooting. According to a police search warrant, Stowers’ door was open and five bullet casings were found near her. St. Paul fire medics pronounced her dead at the scene from what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. Officers who searched the scene found two cellphones and a gun magazine with live ammunition inside.

One witness reported hearing no fights or arguments before four gunshots rang from Stowers’ apartment. That witness said five seconds passed before a fifth gunshot. Another witness heard those gunshots before someone ran down the stairs towards the building’s exit. That witness spotted a man run south on Elk Street away from the dwelling. It’s unclear if that man is a suspect in the case.

Investigators believe a carjacking reported that same night is connected to Stowers’ death, but no arrests have been announced. The victim in that carjacking was shot but treated at Regions Hospital for noncritical injuries.

Stowers’ death marked the fourth homicide in the capital city in 10 days, and the 25th homicide this year, according to a Minnesota Star Tribune database. There were 28 homicides at this time last year.