Eddie Markeith Frazier, 50 of Crookston, formerly of Minneapolis, pled guilty Monday to murder in the second-degree murder, intentional murder, in Polk County District Court. Frazier pled under the Alford plea related to the intentional aspect of his second-degree murder charge, where the defendant does not admit guilt but believes he would be found guilty by a jury. As part of his plea agreement, all other counts including the possibility of life without parole are dismissed.
Frazier was presented with a synopsis of the evidence against him and agreed the evidence was likely to result in a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt of at least the second-degree murder, intentional murder charge.
On May 3, 2017, Frazier strangled Tawnya Rene Wallace in her apartment at 104 ½ S. Broadway. In the early morning hours of May 3, Frazier accompanied Wallace to the RiverView Health Emergency Room. Several hours later Polk County dispatch received a 911 call which was cut off before the caller could identify themselves. Witnesses were set to testify that the caller’s voice was that of Wallace. Polk County Dispatch later received a call from a male identifying himself as James Moore stating his granddaughter had dialed 911, the caller could be identified as Frazier.
According to court documents and summary of evidence at Frazier’s guilty plea, Crookston Police officers went to Wallace’s residence on the morning of May 3 and knocked on the door receiving no answer. There report states they could hear music coming from the apartment, and it sounded like heavy objects were being moved. There also appeared to be something shoved under the door so they couldn’t see in. Officers later returned and discovered Wallace in a bathtub. The autopsy showed Wallace’s death to be by strangulation and that her body was staged floating facedown in the water.
A state-wide manhunt for Frazier followed a warrant for his arrest and unfolded the night of May 3 in Bloomington when Frazier was involved in a stand-off. Frazier was shot in the arm by a special agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and fled in Wallace’s car. He later abandoned the car and was arrested about six hours later.
The plea agreement calls for Frazier to serve 429 months (35 years, 9 months). The sentencing hearing will be April 26 at 1:00 p.m.
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