Duo accused in pregnant woman's killing face added charge for death of unborn child
Two suspects accused in the death of a pregnant woman now face additional murder charges over the death of the victim's unborn child.
Shannon M. Benson, 42, and Jade M. Rissell, 27, were both charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree murder. The charges allege the duo were involved in luring the victim to an RV in Minneapolis where she was beaten with brass knuckles and left to die. Days later, the RV was set on fire to hide the body, prosecutors say.
Read more: Charges: Suspect beat pregnant woman with brass knuckles, burned RV to hide body
The victim, who authorities have not publicly identified, was seven months pregnant. And on Wednesday morning, prosecutors filed amended charges against both Benson and issell. Each now faces one additional count of murder of an unborn child, second-degree.
Minneapolis police arrested the two suspects Monday, with witnesses helping them identify both. Benson and Rissell each made their first court appearance Wednesday afternoon.
The victim was discovered the morning of Nov. 8, after a report of an RV "fully engulfed" in flames on the 3500 block of Hennepin Avenue. After putting out the blaze, the "severely burned" body of the victim was located inside. The charges say the fire inspector detected "combustible gas" at the scene.
She had been reported missing out of Anoka just a few days earlier.
