Kare11
Shooter sentenced to 30 years in murder of transgender woman
A judge handed 25-year-old Damarean Bible a 367-month sentence – 30 and 1/2 years – for killing 37-year-old Savannah Williams in November of 2023.
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis man will serve more than 20 years in prison after being convicted of second-degree intentional murder in the death of a transgender woman in November of 2023.
A Hennepin County district judge sentenced Damarean Kaylon Bible to 367 months – or 30 and 1/2 years – for fatally shooting Savannah Ryan Williams, a woman who was well-known in the Twin Cities trans community. He will serve two-thirds of that sentence behind bars.
“This senseless act of violence against a Native and Cuban transgender woman has left a family without a daughter, a partner without their person, and a community without the vibrant light that Savannah uniquely brought to every room she was in,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty following the sentencing. “Savannah deserved safety.”
Moriarty said investigators in her office conducted a thorough review to determine whether the killing was motivated by bias, but concluded they could not prove bias beyond a reasonable doubt. The county attorney did say Williams’ murder is part of a pattern of escalating attacks against trans women, particularly those who are of color. She said since 2013, 286 trans women have been killed, with 85% of those victims being Bipoc women.
Two state legislators who are members of the Queer Caucus vowed to continue work at the State Capitol to protect Minnesota’s transgender community and increase penalties against those who harm them.
“Savannah Ryan Williams was a beloved member of the trans and Two Spirit community, and she should be alive today,” said Minnesota Rep. Leigh Finke (DFL-66A). “The data is clear that trans people, especially trans people of color, suffer violence at rates far greater than our cisgender neighbors. The Queer Caucus will continue do everything in our power at the Capitol to solve this crisis, and I thank the County Attorney’s Office for sharing this commitment.”
Minneapolis police were dispatched to the 3000 block of 4th Ave. S. around 9 a.m. Nov. 29, 2023 on reports of someone not breathing. Witnesses told officers they heard a gunshot just before 6 a.m.
Investigators used surveillance video to track the shooting suspect to an apartment building where they arrested Bible.
A criminal complaint says Bible admitted to shooting Williams in the head. He told police she approached him for a sexual encounter but he began to feel “suspicious.” After the act, he shot and killed her, according to court documents. Bible reportedly confessed after police found surveillance video of him at the scene near the Lake Street light rail station.
The complaint said while in jail, Bible told his dad he “just murdered someone.” It reads that he felt sorry for killing the victim and knew he wasn’t God, but he “had to do it.”
He was convicted of second-degree intentional murder on Aug. 27, 2024.
Following her death, friends remembered Williams as a big personality who was “full of life.”
In a search warrant application, Richfield police detail reports by first responders alleging a slow staff response and allegations of forged documents in the death.
RICHFIELD, Minn. — A Richfield care facility is under investigation after allegations by first responders that staff there did not check on a patient as she was dying and then forged paperwork to cover it up.
In an application for a search warrant, police requested access to medical records and surveillance video related to the treatment and death of 55-year-old Candace Columbus, a patient at The Villas in Richfield. Investigator Sammy Gonzalez details a report by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) based on accounts from a Hennepin County paramedic on Oct. 7, 2024, the day Columbus died at the facility located at 7727 Portland Ave. S.
That paramedic reported that they suspected that facility staff suspected the patient was dying but did not check on her or call 911. The first responder said that when first responders were finally called, staffers claimed that Columbus had a Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR) but did not have a form on hand. Paramedics also reported seeing staff members filling out a DNR Form, which would constitute forgery.
Investigator Gonzalez says in the warrant application that body cam video from a Richfield police officer who responded to The Villas recorded the interaction between the reporting paramedic and care staff, including a phone conversation between one employee and someone claiming to be the facility manager, who appears to be giving the staff instructions on how to fill out the DNR form.
“Your affiant (Gonzalez) requests further information from The Villas at Richfield that will lead to further evidence of forgery and/or vulnerable adult abuse/neglect,” the application reads.
Richfield Police Lt. Brad Drayna told KARE 11 that the ongoing investigation prevents the department from providing anything beyond the information in the search warrant. An administrator for The Villas says a statement on the patient’s death and investigation will be released later Wednesday.
MINNEAPOLIS — Christmas came early for Minnesotans watching the trick-or-treat forecast for Thursday, as the news about impending snow is practically begging for related discussions about the infamous Halloween Blizzard of ’91.
While parents lugged their small ghosts, goblins and ghouls from door to door — layers of warm clothes and heaps of snow be damned — they could already tell this particular storm would be one for the record books.
When all was said and done, more than 8 inches of snow fell in the course of only a few hours, leaving Minnesotans with much work when the sun came up the next morning.
So, will we have a ’24-style repeat of ’91? Only time will tell, but for now, we’re bringing back a few classics from the archives to get everyone in the mood for another snowy (and spooky!) celebration.
See our story, “Helping in the Halloween Blizzard” above, and more from the archives below.
New York State authorities confirm that a woman and two kids children went over a guard rail and into the falls Monday night. They have not been found.
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The New York State Park Police and the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation are investigating an incident on Goat Island in Niagara Falls.
According to a release on Tuesday by the New York State Police, officers responded to an incident that happened on or around Goat Island around 9 p.m. on Monday evening.
In an updated release on Wednesday the NYSP confirmed that a 33-year-old woman, a 9-year-old, and a 5-month-old crossed over the safety guard rail and went over Niagara Falls on Luna Island, which is attached to Goat Island.
The victims have been identified as Chaianti Means, 33, Roman Rossman, 9, and Mecca Means 5-months-old.
According to the NYSP release, “The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation. New York State Park Police and State Police search/rescue efforts were conducted with negative results. This incident deems no public threat to safety.”
NYSP Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Aviation, Underwater Recovery Unit, New York State Park Police and Niagara Falls Police Department are assisting in the investigation.
2 On Your Side will update this story when we receive new information from State Police.
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