July 31, 2024 • 28 mins
In the idyllic town of Shakopee, where the Minnesota River winds its peaceful course, and a community finds solace, tranquility turns to terror when a horrifying crime rocks the neighborhood to its core. A young woman witnesses a night-marish scene right outside her home and shares it, sending shockwaves through the town and beyond.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
A close community thrives in the tranquiled town of Chockape, Minnesota,
where the gentle flow of the Minnesota River weaves a
tapestry of serenity, steeped in Native American heritage but also
representing a blend of history and modernity. Life in Shockapy
has always been characterized by peace and charm, But on
(00:33):
one fateful afternoon, the town was about to be shaken
to its core. From the windows of their homes and
the sidewalks below, the residents witnessed something so unsettling it
sent shockwaves through the entire neighborhood. Gasps of disbelief echoed
(00:54):
through the air as they tried to make sense of
the spine chilling scene folded before their eyes. Welcome to
(01:25):
sword and Scale Nightmares, True crime for bedtime, Where nightmare
begins Now. It was midsummer on a very residential street
(01:53):
in Shakapi, Minnesota. Charming homes lined the sidewalks, and cars
intermittent drove along the street. It was an exceptionally clear day.
It also appeared to be an ordinary afternoon in the
tranquil neighborhood of three point thirty seven Fourth Avenue East,
(02:14):
when a young resident was going about her day, unaware
that it was about to take a horrifying turn. She
goes about her activities inside her home, but here's an
unusual commotion outside that immediately catches her attention. Startled, she
wonders what could possibly be happening on such a busy
(02:36):
and peaceful street. Curiosity gets the better of her, and
she can't resist investigating the source of the noise. With
her cell phone always within reach, as most young people
do nowadays most everyone does nowadays, she cautiously approaches her
living room window and pulls back the curtains to peer outside.
(02:59):
What she witnesses in that fleeting moment as something straight
out of a chilling B list horror movie. Shock and
disbelief overcome her, and she can't help but gasp and terror.
She quickly activates her phone's camera, zooming in on the
alarming scene unfolding before her eyes. The words oh my
(03:24):
God repeatedly escape her lips as she tries to comprehend
the gruesome sight. Feeling a mixture of fear and the
need to alert others, she instinctively posts the footage on Snapchat,
accompanied by desperate pleas for anyone nearby to come and
offer assistance. The urge in her voice resonates through the
(03:49):
video as she hopes for help or answers, but she
later learns that this movie wasn't a good one, and
her good and tensions, or maybe neutral intentions, only create
more alarm. As the footage circulates online, passers by in
(04:10):
vehicles also catch sight of the hideous scene. Some can't
help but slow down or stop to understand the magnitude
of the situation unfolding. One car even comes to a halt,
its occupants visibly disturbed by what they see. Shocked and
unsure of how to respond, they eventually drive off, likely
(04:36):
dialing the authorities or alerting others to the disturbing incident.
The Scott County nine to one one operator has heard
at all, but probably not like this. She asks about
the emergency, and an agitated male voice responds that he
is on Fourth Avenue. He reports that a gray four
(05:00):
door sedan something like a seabring was traveling in front
of him and he just saw a man of a
possible Hispanic descent heading eastbound in an alleyway leaving the scene.
He's wearing a white t shirt and as maybe multiple
tattoos he's also wearing a hat. The caller tries to continue,
(05:24):
but interjects that he's freaked out. The dispatcher, hearing the
panic in the caller's voice, can almost hear his heart
pounding through the phone as she urges him to remain
calm and give her as many details as possible. Looking
for reassurance, he turns to a firefighter who's just arrived
(05:46):
and hesitantly asks is this real or some kind of
sick prank? The firefighter's response was sobering. Yeah, looks real
to me, he answers in a grave tone, as he
shuffles away to do this or that. As the weight
(06:08):
of reality starts to sink in, the caller's body trembles
with shock and a wave of dizziness comes over him
as he begins to turn pale. His heart is pounding
like a drum in his chest, and his vision his blurred. Momentarily, Meanwhile,
(06:31):
he's still on the line with the nine to one
one operator. The dispatcher's urgency to understand the situation intensifies,
despite the presence of fire personnel at the scene. The
caller's account of the terrifying events unfolds with chilling clarity.
(06:51):
He recounts that he was driving his truck when he
noticed the car in front behaving erratically, swerving before finally
pulling over. Intrigued and also concerned, he slows down almost
to a stop on the quiet street, trying to comprehend
(07:12):
what is happening. Peering through his window, the caller is
confronted with a sight that sends shivers down his spine.
Inside the car, a man is furiously chopping away at
something with a massive knife. The description of the man
as wacko emphasizes the alarming nature of the scene. The
(07:38):
nine to one one operator can sense the caller's distress
and quickly grasps the gravity of the situation. Still in shock,
the collar reveals that the man in the car proceeds
to pull a lifeless body out of the vehicle and
carelessly tosses it onto the street. The impact of the
(08:01):
bruised and bloodied corpse hitting the pavement sends a chilling
thud through the air, further adding to the horror. The
caller's voice trembles as he relays the most nightmarish part
of the scene. He opens his window for a better view,
and he witnesses the man reached back into the car,
(08:26):
this time pulling out the lifeless head of the victim.
The ghastly image of the head held by its hair
shocks him to his core. He can't help but notice
the long, thick and blonde, curly hair now drenched in blood,
(08:48):
adding to the macabre scene he's currently witnessing. The dispatcher
can hear the collar's fear and repulsion as he struggles
to process the horrifying sight before him. The seriousness of
the situation is undeniable, and its evident that the caller
(09:09):
has just witnessed a scene straight from a nightmare when
that will undoubtedly haunt him for the rest of his
life and create some sort of trauma till his dying days.
As authorities begin arriving to start the investigation, residents would
(09:30):
be left wondering who could commit such an unthinkable act
and whether they were even safe in their own homes.
The quiet facade of the neighborhood had been shattered, and
a cloud of uncertainty loomed over the once calm community,
(09:50):
forever changing the lives of those who had witnessed the
unsettling scene on that fateful day. As if the nine
(10:34):
one one caller's account wasn't appalling enough. The female caller
who videotaped the incident had an even better view from
her vantage point. The killer, seemingly fixated on creating a
ghoulish spectacle, picks up the severed head by its long,
curly blonde hair, and, with a disturbing display of inhumanity,
(10:59):
places an on top of the body, as if orchestrating
a grotesque tableaux for a haunted house at Halloween. But
the gruesome staging is far from perfect, and as if
fate itself intervened, the head rolled off the makeshift perch,
(11:21):
landing with a sickening thud near the abandoned vehicle. She
catches the fugitive on camera and is able to give
an even more detailed description of his appearance. She lists
his clothing is white shoes, black skinny jeans with rips
in them, red underwear, a white long sleeved shirt, black gloves,
(11:46):
and a black stocking cap. The police are already mobilizing
in response to the mounting reports and pleas for help.
Within minutes, a flurry of law enforcement officials arrive at
the scene, quickly cordoning off the area to ensure the
safety and privacy of the residents. A sense of urgency
(12:07):
pervades the atmosphere as they erect the protective tarp around
the affected section of the street, shielding the onlookers and
protecting the victim's identity. One after another caller's report seeing
the killer on foot, one witness known only as RP
(12:30):
nervously discloses the encounter. He has just witnessed that guy
you're looking for, the one who did the stabbing. I
saw him, RP stammered, trying to provide crucial information to
the investigators. He was running past the school and then
he jumped the fence on tenth and Spencer. RP continued,
(12:51):
struggling to recall the details. I think that's Spencer or no,
that's fourth.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
I think.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
The investigator pressed for more details, trying to piece together
the puzzle, and asked when he saw this It had
only been fifteen minutes earlier. RP kept going with the
bizarre circumstances leading up to the encounter, describing how he
had been making fun of the man, unaware of the
(13:20):
sinister events that just took place.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I was just looking at him, mocking him, thinking, look
at that motherfucker. Run RP confessed, his voice tinged with
guilt but also fear. More crucial details spilled out as
RP remembered that the perpetrator jumped the fence near the
high school and close to the cemetery. He was also
(13:45):
able to tell the officers that the killer was heading
toward the footballer baseball fields. Then he painted a picture
of the suspect's appearance, one that was almost exact to
other accounts, other than saying he was wearing a wife
beater rather than a long sleeve shirt. It's funny how
(14:07):
we've all just accepted the naming of a particular type
of shirt as a wife beater. But that's a story
for another day. But there was one more detail RP
had yet to offer. It was that the fugitive had
reddish hands, like they had liquid on them or something
(14:32):
something like perhaps blood. The officer wants URP to accompany
him and point out exactly where he saw the suspect,
but OURP is terrified of becoming the next victim, so
he respectfully declines. Investigators quickly checked out the scene of
(14:54):
the incident. Most of the blood pooled on the hot pavement,
while tiny streams flowed down where the street dipped. They
promptly noticed that the passenger side of the car was
also covered in red spatter. They knew they needed to
track down its owner, and when they did, it led
(15:15):
them to a nearby Travel Lodge hotel where he was
allegedly living. Based on the eyewitness accounts and the description
that matched the wanted individual and his vehicle, a detective
responded to the Travel Lodge hotel and learned a Lexis
(15:36):
Sabaret had been staying in room two thirty seven there.
The owner said he last saw Alexis the previous night
and wasn't sure whether he was still in the room.
Additional officers arrived and began setting up surveillance on the hotel.
While observing the area, the detectives noticed a vehicle leaving
(16:00):
the hotel's parking lot. The passenger's seat was reclined, obstructing
a clear view. As they circled around and positioned themselves
parallel to the car for a closer look, it was
clearly not Alexis, but just as they re routed and
(16:20):
headed back to the Travel Lodge, the detective and his
partner spotted him crossing some train tracks in their peripheral
vision as they closed in on him in the parking lot.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
The detectives acted swiftly and decisively. With guns drawn, they
confronted him, demanding him to lie flat on the ground,
a scene reminiscent of a tense movie standoff. Complying with
their orders, Alexis surrendered without resistance. At the same time,
as the cops were questioning Alexis, the investigation continued. Police
(16:59):
soon learned that few helpful answers would come from him,
but when they interviewed one of his friends, they began
to understand. Ben said he knew both the killer and
the victim. They were a pair of his friends and
he was just with him Earlier in the day. According
(17:21):
to a friend, Alexis had a court appointment, but made
it clear to him and Alexis's girlfriend that he did
not want to go. He remembered they were arguing about this,
but he felt it was all straightened out by the
time he left them, and he believes Alexis would follow
through with his appointment. You see, Alexis was Cuban illegal
(17:46):
and about to be deported. According to Alexis, his girlfriend
was okay with that. His girlfriend was named, ironically America
theyre and he had indicated that she wanted him to
be deported. He claimed they had been dating for several
(18:07):
years and were living in the travel lodge and shockapy.
But America, the girlfriend, not the place, was abusive. He maintained.
She stole from him, beat him, and even raped him,
and now she wanted him to go. This is the
(18:28):
reason why he always carried a bat, a knife, or
a weapon on him or in his car. America was
dangerous and he had to protect himself somehow. Even his
friend Ben acknowledged that Alexis was known to carry a knife,
(18:50):
not just any knife, but a machete, so he was
well armed. But the knife sheath lying in the yard
close to the body, a knife plunged into the garden
of a neighbor down the street from the incident, and
the bloody clothing found in a nearby dumpster were only
(19:13):
corroborating clues to the murder. When cops found a heavy
dumbbell in the car Alexis and America were in earlier,
they noticed blood and long, curly blonde hair attached to it.
The investigation would continue, but detectives were fairly certain that
(19:35):
America was not at fault. At the heart of one
(20:16):
of Chakapi's darkest days is a fifty five year old
woman named America Thayer, a petite figure with a vibrant spirit,
a cascade of thick golden curls flowing down her back.
Recognizable to many, she was a familiar face gracing the
(20:36):
aisles of Dollar Tree and My Pillow, where she worked tirelessly,
putting in an astounding seventy hours per week. But her
allure extended beyond her striking appearance and hard work. She
was known for her kindness, her infectious laughter, and her
(20:58):
ability to weave chanting tales that captivated those around her.
She was a natural storyteller, and friends considered her one
of the kindest souls they had ever known. She too,
immigrated from Cuba, but was proud of her legal status.
She loved this country, in fact, so much so that
(21:22):
she changed her name to America. One of her closest
friends described her as soft spoken, so funny, and always
had amazing stories, betting that she hadn't met anyone as
genuinely kind as America since her late grandmother. However, behind
the scenes was Alexis, with a tempestuous nature that hinted
(21:47):
at a deeply disturbed mind. The truth is that America
did want Alexis to be deported, but only because he
was crazy and angry. The day she was publicly and
ruthlessly slaughtered, she was going with Alexis to his court appointment,
(22:08):
which wasn't directly about deportation. Alexis was out on bail
for arson and property damage due to a former showdown
with police. Confronted with the topic of deportation, he lost it,
lost control of his own anger and faculties, shouting obscenities
(22:29):
and threats while attempting to burn down his own apartment
like a madman. Friends witnessed Alexis's growing paranoia and were
aware of the escalating tension between him and America. On
the day of her untimely demise, it all revolved around
the court appointment. He just didn't want to go, and
(22:53):
he blamed America for pressuring him into it, believing she
wanted to get rid of him. The confrontation turned fatal
when Alexis, feeling cornered and threatened, unleashed his fury upon America.
With a heavy eight pound dumbbell in his hand, he
(23:14):
bashed the back of her skull with brutal force as
the car pulled over, but the horror did not end there.
Armed with his companion machete, he resorted to unspeakable acts
of violence, hacking into her body multiple times and finally
(23:42):
severing her neck with a grisly display of savagery until
he says it was hanging there and easy to rip
the rest of the way off. According to Alexis's friend, Ben,
ominous signs of his malevolence were manifesting and a clear
(24:03):
picture of premeditation. For Ben, he was running around laughing
about his plan to chop her fucking head off days
before her death. At first, Alexis was charged with intentional
second degree murder, but was later indicted on first degree murder.
(24:24):
Alexis waived his right to a jury trial in January
of twenty twenty three, and the judge issued the verdict
in the case on May eleventh, guilty a premeditated first
degree murder. The verdict came in despite the defense's posture
that Alexis had mental health problems. Mixed in with all
(24:49):
his other claims were delusions that America was poisoning him,
trying to make him fat, raping him, and putting secret
cameras in his body. Yeah, in his body. Sounds almost
like a targeted individual, when't you say. But in a
(25:10):
shocking turn of events where the real nightmare unfolds, the
Scott County District judge reversed her ruling because the evidence
is clear that he felt he was justified in his
actions due to his persecutory delusions and paranoia in his
(25:33):
mental illness. A not guilty plea due to mental illness
requires a two part trial in Minnesota. In the first part,
the court had to determine whether Alexis committed the murder,
and the second part, the court had to decide whether
(25:54):
he was criminally liable. Two doctors agreed that though he
understood the nature and legal ramifications of the killing, he
failed to appreciate the moral wrongfulness of the ridiculously heinous act.
Alexis's delusions continued even after mental health treatment. He told
(26:20):
one doctor that America died in a horrible accident when
he tried to fix the car air conditioner using a
machete to open it. When America tried to help him
pull the machete out after it became stuck, it took
on a life of its own. And basically flew onto
(26:40):
her neck. Yeah, yeah, crazy, That's just what Alexis Sabret
is crazy and abusive. Even though he was not found guilty,
the town of shakapas tranquil once again. The sun sets
(27:04):
over the Minnesota River and casts a warm light upon
the streets where residents are no longer fearful for some reason.
Even though he was found not guilty, Alexis Sabret is
safely confined in a psychiatric institution where he poses no
(27:26):
danger to America, either of them ever again. If you
enjoyed the show, please consider joining plus at Sword and
Scale dot com slash plus. But if you can't, consider
(27:47):
leaving us a positive review on your preferred listening platform.
Sweet Dreams and good Night,
A close community thrives in the tranquiled town of Chockape, Minnesota,
where the gentle flow of the Minnesota River weaves a
tapestry of serenity, steeped in Native American heritage but also
representing a blend of history and modernity. Life in Shockapy
has always been characterized by peace and charm, But on
(00:33):
one fateful afternoon, the town was about to be shaken
to its core. From the windows of their homes and
the sidewalks below, the residents witnessed something so unsettling it
sent shockwaves through the entire neighborhood. Gasps of disbelief echoed
(00:54):
through the air as they tried to make sense of
the spine chilling scene folded before their eyes. Welcome to
(01:25):
sword and Scale Nightmares, True crime for bedtime, Where nightmare
begins Now. It was midsummer on a very residential street
(01:53):
in Shakapi, Minnesota. Charming homes lined the sidewalks, and cars
intermittent drove along the street. It was an exceptionally clear day.
It also appeared to be an ordinary afternoon in the
tranquil neighborhood of three point thirty seven Fourth Avenue East,
(02:14):
when a young resident was going about her day, unaware
that it was about to take a horrifying turn. She
goes about her activities inside her home, but here's an
unusual commotion outside that immediately catches her attention. Startled, she
wonders what could possibly be happening on such a busy
(02:36):
and peaceful street. Curiosity gets the better of her, and
she can't resist investigating the source of the noise. With
her cell phone always within reach, as most young people
do nowadays most everyone does nowadays, she cautiously approaches her
living room window and pulls back the curtains to peer outside.
(02:59):
What she witnesses in that fleeting moment as something straight
out of a chilling B list horror movie. Shock and
disbelief overcome her, and she can't help but gasp and terror.
She quickly activates her phone's camera, zooming in on the
alarming scene unfolding before her eyes. The words oh my
(03:24):
God repeatedly escape her lips as she tries to comprehend
the gruesome sight. Feeling a mixture of fear and the
need to alert others, she instinctively posts the footage on Snapchat,
accompanied by desperate pleas for anyone nearby to come and
offer assistance. The urge in her voice resonates through the
(03:49):
video as she hopes for help or answers, but she
later learns that this movie wasn't a good one, and
her good and tensions, or maybe neutral intentions, only create
more alarm. As the footage circulates online, passers by in
(04:10):
vehicles also catch sight of the hideous scene. Some can't
help but slow down or stop to understand the magnitude
of the situation unfolding. One car even comes to a halt,
its occupants visibly disturbed by what they see. Shocked and
unsure of how to respond, they eventually drive off, likely
(04:36):
dialing the authorities or alerting others to the disturbing incident.
The Scott County nine to one one operator has heard
at all, but probably not like this. She asks about
the emergency, and an agitated male voice responds that he
is on Fourth Avenue. He reports that a gray four
(05:00):
door sedan something like a seabring was traveling in front
of him and he just saw a man of a
possible Hispanic descent heading eastbound in an alleyway leaving the scene.
He's wearing a white t shirt and as maybe multiple
tattoos he's also wearing a hat. The caller tries to continue,
(05:24):
but interjects that he's freaked out. The dispatcher, hearing the
panic in the caller's voice, can almost hear his heart
pounding through the phone as she urges him to remain
calm and give her as many details as possible. Looking
for reassurance, he turns to a firefighter who's just arrived
(05:46):
and hesitantly asks is this real or some kind of
sick prank? The firefighter's response was sobering. Yeah, looks real
to me, he answers in a grave tone, as he
shuffles away to do this or that. As the weight
(06:08):
of reality starts to sink in, the caller's body trembles
with shock and a wave of dizziness comes over him
as he begins to turn pale. His heart is pounding
like a drum in his chest, and his vision his blurred. Momentarily, Meanwhile,
(06:31):
he's still on the line with the nine to one
one operator. The dispatcher's urgency to understand the situation intensifies,
despite the presence of fire personnel at the scene. The
caller's account of the terrifying events unfolds with chilling clarity.
(06:51):
He recounts that he was driving his truck when he
noticed the car in front behaving erratically, swerving before finally
pulling over. Intrigued and also concerned, he slows down almost
to a stop on the quiet street, trying to comprehend
(07:12):
what is happening. Peering through his window, the caller is
confronted with a sight that sends shivers down his spine.
Inside the car, a man is furiously chopping away at
something with a massive knife. The description of the man
as wacko emphasizes the alarming nature of the scene. The
(07:38):
nine to one one operator can sense the caller's distress
and quickly grasps the gravity of the situation. Still in shock,
the collar reveals that the man in the car proceeds
to pull a lifeless body out of the vehicle and
carelessly tosses it onto the street. The impact of the
(08:01):
bruised and bloodied corpse hitting the pavement sends a chilling
thud through the air, further adding to the horror. The
caller's voice trembles as he relays the most nightmarish part
of the scene. He opens his window for a better view,
and he witnesses the man reached back into the car,
(08:26):
this time pulling out the lifeless head of the victim.
The ghastly image of the head held by its hair
shocks him to his core. He can't help but notice
the long, thick and blonde, curly hair now drenched in blood,
(08:48):
adding to the macabre scene he's currently witnessing. The dispatcher
can hear the collar's fear and repulsion as he struggles
to process the horrifying sight before him. The seriousness of
the situation is undeniable, and its evident that the caller
(09:09):
has just witnessed a scene straight from a nightmare when
that will undoubtedly haunt him for the rest of his
life and create some sort of trauma till his dying days.
As authorities begin arriving to start the investigation, residents would
(09:30):
be left wondering who could commit such an unthinkable act
and whether they were even safe in their own homes.
The quiet facade of the neighborhood had been shattered, and
a cloud of uncertainty loomed over the once calm community,
(09:50):
forever changing the lives of those who had witnessed the
unsettling scene on that fateful day. As if the nine
(10:34):
one one caller's account wasn't appalling enough. The female caller
who videotaped the incident had an even better view from
her vantage point. The killer, seemingly fixated on creating a
ghoulish spectacle, picks up the severed head by its long,
curly blonde hair, and, with a disturbing display of inhumanity,
(10:59):
places an on top of the body, as if orchestrating
a grotesque tableaux for a haunted house at Halloween. But
the gruesome staging is far from perfect, and as if
fate itself intervened, the head rolled off the makeshift perch,
(11:21):
landing with a sickening thud near the abandoned vehicle. She
catches the fugitive on camera and is able to give
an even more detailed description of his appearance. She lists
his clothing is white shoes, black skinny jeans with rips
in them, red underwear, a white long sleeved shirt, black gloves,
(11:46):
and a black stocking cap. The police are already mobilizing
in response to the mounting reports and pleas for help.
Within minutes, a flurry of law enforcement officials arrive at
the scene, quickly cordoning off the area to ensure the
safety and privacy of the residents. A sense of urgency
(12:07):
pervades the atmosphere as they erect the protective tarp around
the affected section of the street, shielding the onlookers and
protecting the victim's identity. One after another caller's report seeing
the killer on foot, one witness known only as RP
(12:30):
nervously discloses the encounter. He has just witnessed that guy
you're looking for, the one who did the stabbing. I
saw him, RP stammered, trying to provide crucial information to
the investigators. He was running past the school and then
he jumped the fence on tenth and Spencer. RP continued,
(12:51):
struggling to recall the details. I think that's Spencer or no,
that's fourth.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
I think.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
The investigator pressed for more details, trying to piece together
the puzzle, and asked when he saw this It had
only been fifteen minutes earlier. RP kept going with the
bizarre circumstances leading up to the encounter, describing how he
had been making fun of the man, unaware of the
(13:20):
sinister events that just took place.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I was just looking at him, mocking him, thinking, look
at that motherfucker. Run RP confessed, his voice tinged with
guilt but also fear. More crucial details spilled out as
RP remembered that the perpetrator jumped the fence near the
high school and close to the cemetery. He was also
(13:45):
able to tell the officers that the killer was heading
toward the footballer baseball fields. Then he painted a picture
of the suspect's appearance, one that was almost exact to
other accounts, other than saying he was wearing a wife
beater rather than a long sleeve shirt. It's funny how
(14:07):
we've all just accepted the naming of a particular type
of shirt as a wife beater. But that's a story
for another day. But there was one more detail RP
had yet to offer. It was that the fugitive had
reddish hands, like they had liquid on them or something
(14:32):
something like perhaps blood. The officer wants URP to accompany
him and point out exactly where he saw the suspect,
but OURP is terrified of becoming the next victim, so
he respectfully declines. Investigators quickly checked out the scene of
(14:54):
the incident. Most of the blood pooled on the hot pavement,
while tiny streams flowed down where the street dipped. They
promptly noticed that the passenger side of the car was
also covered in red spatter. They knew they needed to
track down its owner, and when they did, it led
(15:15):
them to a nearby Travel Lodge hotel where he was
allegedly living. Based on the eyewitness accounts and the description
that matched the wanted individual and his vehicle, a detective
responded to the Travel Lodge hotel and learned a Lexis
(15:36):
Sabaret had been staying in room two thirty seven there.
The owner said he last saw Alexis the previous night
and wasn't sure whether he was still in the room.
Additional officers arrived and began setting up surveillance on the hotel.
While observing the area, the detectives noticed a vehicle leaving
(16:00):
the hotel's parking lot. The passenger's seat was reclined, obstructing
a clear view. As they circled around and positioned themselves
parallel to the car for a closer look, it was
clearly not Alexis, but just as they re routed and
(16:20):
headed back to the Travel Lodge, the detective and his
partner spotted him crossing some train tracks in their peripheral
vision as they closed in on him in the parking lot.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
The detectives acted swiftly and decisively. With guns drawn, they
confronted him, demanding him to lie flat on the ground,
a scene reminiscent of a tense movie standoff. Complying with
their orders, Alexis surrendered without resistance. At the same time,
as the cops were questioning Alexis, the investigation continued. Police
(16:59):
soon learned that few helpful answers would come from him,
but when they interviewed one of his friends, they began
to understand. Ben said he knew both the killer and
the victim. They were a pair of his friends and
he was just with him Earlier in the day. According
(17:21):
to a friend, Alexis had a court appointment, but made
it clear to him and Alexis's girlfriend that he did
not want to go. He remembered they were arguing about this,
but he felt it was all straightened out by the
time he left them, and he believes Alexis would follow
through with his appointment. You see, Alexis was Cuban illegal
(17:46):
and about to be deported. According to Alexis, his girlfriend
was okay with that. His girlfriend was named, ironically America
theyre and he had indicated that she wanted him to
be deported. He claimed they had been dating for several
(18:07):
years and were living in the travel lodge and shockapy.
But America, the girlfriend, not the place, was abusive. He maintained.
She stole from him, beat him, and even raped him,
and now she wanted him to go. This is the
(18:28):
reason why he always carried a bat, a knife, or
a weapon on him or in his car. America was
dangerous and he had to protect himself somehow. Even his
friend Ben acknowledged that Alexis was known to carry a knife,
(18:50):
not just any knife, but a machete, so he was
well armed. But the knife sheath lying in the yard
close to the body, a knife plunged into the garden
of a neighbor down the street from the incident, and
the bloody clothing found in a nearby dumpster were only
(19:13):
corroborating clues to the murder. When cops found a heavy
dumbbell in the car Alexis and America were in earlier,
they noticed blood and long, curly blonde hair attached to it.
The investigation would continue, but detectives were fairly certain that
(19:35):
America was not at fault. At the heart of one
(20:16):
of Chakapi's darkest days is a fifty five year old
woman named America Thayer, a petite figure with a vibrant spirit,
a cascade of thick golden curls flowing down her back.
Recognizable to many, she was a familiar face gracing the
(20:36):
aisles of Dollar Tree and My Pillow, where she worked tirelessly,
putting in an astounding seventy hours per week. But her
allure extended beyond her striking appearance and hard work. She
was known for her kindness, her infectious laughter, and her
(20:58):
ability to weave chanting tales that captivated those around her.
She was a natural storyteller, and friends considered her one
of the kindest souls they had ever known. She too,
immigrated from Cuba, but was proud of her legal status.
She loved this country, in fact, so much so that
(21:22):
she changed her name to America. One of her closest
friends described her as soft spoken, so funny, and always
had amazing stories, betting that she hadn't met anyone as
genuinely kind as America since her late grandmother. However, behind
the scenes was Alexis, with a tempestuous nature that hinted
(21:47):
at a deeply disturbed mind. The truth is that America
did want Alexis to be deported, but only because he
was crazy and angry. The day she was publicly and
ruthlessly slaughtered, she was going with Alexis to his court appointment,
(22:08):
which wasn't directly about deportation. Alexis was out on bail
for arson and property damage due to a former showdown
with police. Confronted with the topic of deportation, he lost it,
lost control of his own anger and faculties, shouting obscenities
(22:29):
and threats while attempting to burn down his own apartment
like a madman. Friends witnessed Alexis's growing paranoia and were
aware of the escalating tension between him and America. On
the day of her untimely demise, it all revolved around
the court appointment. He just didn't want to go, and
(22:53):
he blamed America for pressuring him into it, believing she
wanted to get rid of him. The confrontation turned fatal
when Alexis, feeling cornered and threatened, unleashed his fury upon America.
With a heavy eight pound dumbbell in his hand, he
(23:14):
bashed the back of her skull with brutal force as
the car pulled over, but the horror did not end there.
Armed with his companion machete, he resorted to unspeakable acts
of violence, hacking into her body multiple times and finally
(23:42):
severing her neck with a grisly display of savagery until
he says it was hanging there and easy to rip
the rest of the way off. According to Alexis's friend, Ben,
ominous signs of his malevolence were manifesting and a clear
(24:03):
picture of premeditation. For Ben, he was running around laughing
about his plan to chop her fucking head off days
before her death. At first, Alexis was charged with intentional
second degree murder, but was later indicted on first degree murder.
(24:24):
Alexis waived his right to a jury trial in January
of twenty twenty three, and the judge issued the verdict
in the case on May eleventh, guilty a premeditated first
degree murder. The verdict came in despite the defense's posture
that Alexis had mental health problems. Mixed in with all
(24:49):
his other claims were delusions that America was poisoning him,
trying to make him fat, raping him, and putting secret
cameras in his body. Yeah, in his body. Sounds almost
like a targeted individual, when't you say. But in a
(25:10):
shocking turn of events where the real nightmare unfolds, the
Scott County District judge reversed her ruling because the evidence
is clear that he felt he was justified in his
actions due to his persecutory delusions and paranoia in his
(25:33):
mental illness. A not guilty plea due to mental illness
requires a two part trial in Minnesota. In the first part,
the court had to determine whether Alexis committed the murder,
and the second part, the court had to decide whether
(25:54):
he was criminally liable. Two doctors agreed that though he
understood the nature and legal ramifications of the killing, he
failed to appreciate the moral wrongfulness of the ridiculously heinous act.
Alexis's delusions continued even after mental health treatment. He told
(26:20):
one doctor that America died in a horrible accident when
he tried to fix the car air conditioner using a
machete to open it. When America tried to help him
pull the machete out after it became stuck, it took
on a life of its own. And basically flew onto
(26:40):
her neck. Yeah, yeah, crazy, That's just what Alexis Sabret
is crazy and abusive. Even though he was not found guilty,
the town of shakapas tranquil once again. The sun sets
(27:04):
over the Minnesota River and casts a warm light upon
the streets where residents are no longer fearful for some reason.
Even though he was found not guilty, Alexis Sabret is
safely confined in a psychiatric institution where he poses no
(27:26):
danger to America, either of them ever again. If you
enjoyed the show, please consider joining plus at Sword and
Scale dot com slash plus. But if you can't, consider
(27:47):
leaving us a positive review on your preferred listening platform.
Sweet Dreams and good Night,
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