Since Kristine Larson was found strangled in a burning car in Minneapolis last week, the man now suspected as her killer had been grieving side by side with her relatives.
The day she died, Larson planned to go to the man's house to pick up their nearly 2-year-old son, Darion, and go Christmas shopping. After her death, he wrote on his MySpace page that he missed Larson and that he needed to make their son smile "cuz she would want him to."
"It's horrifying," said Michelle Sveiven, Larson's sister.
At times the man was obsessive about trying to get back together with Larson, Sveiven said.
He made overtures that the only relationship in her life would involve him, she said. His MySpace page said he was married, but they never officially tied the knot.
"Kristine tried to get him to take that off his page," Sveiven said. "They would be on-again, off-again, but he never seemed to let her go."
The body of Larson, of St. Paul Park, was found about 8 p.m. Wednesday in an alley behind the 2200 block of 24th Avenue S., in the Seward neighborhood. It appeared the 19-year-old woman was killed before her body was placed in the car's back seat, police said.
"Investigators worked tirelessly putting together the timelines of Kristine's movements on the day of the murder and that led directly to the suspect's doorstep," said Lt. Amelia Huffman, head of the Minneapolis homicide unit.
The Star Tribune isn't identifying the 21-year-old suspect because he hasn't been charged. The case will be forwarded to the Hennepin County attorney's office.
For the last couple of weeks, Larson had been unusually quiet and hadn't talked to anyone in the family about her personal life, Sveiven said. Although there had been friction in the past, the couple's current relationship was at its best, she said.
When they lived together, police were called to their apartment for domestic problems, Sveiven said. "They were both very, very stubborn people with larger-than-life personalities. So when they argued, they argued."
The final break-up came about six months ago, when she moved back to her mother's house. There was no formal custody agreement, but she made sure Darion's father saw him on a regular basis, Sveiven said. Darion and his father went to a museum a few weeks ago.
When he was told that Larson had been killed, the man was picked up by relatives and brought to Larson's house in St. Paul Park.
In an interview Friday before any arrests had been made, Sveiven said, "We think that anybody that knew her ... couldn't have done this to her."
Darion's father was arrested Sunday after he gave a statement to police, Huffman said. The man's relatives couldn't be reached for comment Monday.
Sveiven described her younger sister as very gregarious and vibrant. She loved music and dancing, and played mud volleyball at a local festival every year.
"When my fiancé and I got engaged in May, she took it upon herself to throw an engagement party because she just thought it needed to be celebrated," Sveiven said.
Larson was an amazing mother, even at such a young age, she said. Darion will be 2 in February and is living with relatives.
In June, she graduated from the alternative learning center program at Park High School. She had been looking for a job and was attending bartending school with her stepfather. She then wanted to pursue college, Sveiven said.
"Mostly, she just wanted to spend time with Darion," she said.
A fund has been set up for funeral expenses for Larson and to take care of Darion. Donations can be sent to Anchor Bank, c/o Kristine Larson Memorial Fund, 1030 Hastings Av., St. Paul Park 55071.
A visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at Kok Funeral Home in St. Paul Park.
"Her heart was so huge. She loved people," Sveiven said. "She would meet somebody and become instant friends. She trusted everybody, probably far too willingly."
dchanen@startribune.com • 612-673-4465 slemagie@startribune.com • 612-673-7557
