Murder Trial Underway for Woman Accused in Fatal April Stabbing

(KNSI) — A trial is underway in the case of a woman accused of stabbing a man to death in April.

April 19th, Lindsay Rae Shelltrack-Miller allegedly told a 911 dispatcher she stabbed a man after the two of them got into an argument. According to the criminal complaint, Shelltrack-Miller said she threw water on the victim, and he threw a can of pop at her head. She said the man “came after her” so she maced him. She said he continued to come toward her, so she pulled out a knife and stabbed him. Court records say the victim can be heard on the 911 call that he was defending himself and didn’t hit her.

Police arrived on the scene and found the man, later identified as Justin Allen Berge of St. Cloud, in the alley behind the home. He was rushed to St. Cloud Hospital, where he died a short time later.

Shelltrack-Miller told an investigator she threw water on Berge and maced him and that he pushed her to the ground in the alley. She said he was kneeling over her, so she pulled a knife out of her fanny pack and attempted to nick him with the blade because she was scared and was trying to warn Berge to stay away from her. She also told an officer there was surveillance video of the incident that she could access from her phone.

The criminal complaint says one video, time-stamped at 11:48 a.m., shows Berge run around his vehicle to get away from Shelltrack-Miller. He kept running through the alley as she followed. The video allegedly shows Shelltrack-Miller latching onto the back of Berge as if she is trying to grab something from him. She ends up on the ground as Berge appears to be collecting items from the ground. According to the video, it shows Shelltrack-Miller kicking Berge repeatedly and maces him. He is seen allegedly trying to restrain her. She is then reportedly seen reaching into a fanny pack and pulling something out before making a stabbing motion toward Berge’s chest.

Shelltrack-Miller was charged with one count of second-degree murder without intent. The trial is expected to last all week.

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