A 17-year-old shot his mother's best friend in the face in a Bloomington hotel room occupied by several children in a deadly dispute over a $270 debt, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday against the woman.
Trimeanna N. Williams, 39, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with aiding and abetting second-degree murder in connection with the killing last week of Jennifer A. Swaggert, 39, of Minneapolis, in a room at the La Quinta Hotel at 7815 S. Nicollet Av.
Williams, of Minneapolis, remains jailed in lieu $500,000 bail ahead of a court appearance Tuesday.
Also arrested last week: the son accused of firing the fatal shot — identified in the complaint as D.S. — and two other 17-year-olds. Authorities have yet to say whether any of the teens have been charged.
According to the criminal complaint:
Shortly before noon on July 12, a housekeeper spotted Swaggert dead on the floor. Inside the room were various personal items, bottles of alcohol — some empty — and a stun gun.
The next day, Williams called the hotel and said she wanted to retrieve the possessions.
Hotel management contacted police, who then spoke with Williams. She said that she and her best friend were in the room along with Williams' three sons and three friends of D.S. She said that she and others used illicit drugs while together.
Williams' 12-year-old son said D.S. had been arguing with Swaggert and pointed a handgun at her for 15 to 30 seconds.
Swaggert said, "Are you going to shoot me?" the complaint read.
A friend of D.S. said Williams and Swaggert were arguing over $270 that Williams owed for a storage unit. D.S. intervened and shot Swaggert in the face over his mother's objections, the friend said.
Williams and the children went to a nearby gas station, arranged for an Uber ride to south Minneapolis, then ended up at Powderhorn Park, where the gun was thrown in the lake by one of the friends.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
