St. Cloud Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Attempted Murder in Brutal Stabbing of Ex-Girlfriend

(KNSI) – A man is waking up in prison after admitting to trying to stab his ex-girlfriend to death last summer.

George Washington Harris Jr. pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the second degree and second degree assault with a deadly weapon. Judge Shan Wang sentenced the 42-year-old to just over 15 years behind bars. He was given credit for the time spent in jail leading up to sentencing.

On August 31st, 2025 St. Cloud police responded around 9:40 a.m. to a home on the 400 block of 19½ Avenue North after a stabbing report and found a woman lying on the sidewalk with multiple lacerations and puncture wounds. She was rushed to CentraCare St. Cloud Hospital for treatment, including surgery to repair an organ that was severely damaged in the attack. She had been stabbed 17 times.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim had stayed with a friend the previous night after she said Harris Jr. was calling and texting her repeatedly. The next morning, the friend went with the woman to Harris’s house. When they went inside, the friend heard the woman ask Harris about her damaged vehicle, and then things turned violent.

The friend went upstairs and saw Harris had the woman pinned against the wall and was punching her. The friend intervened and then realized Harris had a knife and was stabbing the woman. Before the friend could get away to call 911, Harris cut them as well. The friend told investigators they ran outside to call and scream for help. The woman followed and collapsed.

Harris then ran after her and continued stabbing her. The friend intervened again and said Harris charged, but the friend was able to get away before he turned back toward the victim and stabbed her several more times. Neighbors then came to help, and Harris ran off.

The victim told police she and Harris had broken up, and she was in the process of moving out. She had gone to the house to get a key from him and had a phone conversation in which she asked him to come outside while he was asking her to come inside. Once in the house, she called for Harris, who explained he was in an upstairs bedroom trying to take a TV down. She was standing in the doorway of the bedroom when she noticed him reaching behind the door and she realized he had a knife. She said Harris told her to shut up and then stabbed her twice before continuing to stab her as she tried to get away. Harris allegedly said he would not go back to jail for her again unless it were for killing her.

Court records show Harris has a prior conviction for domestic assault and violation of a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order involving the victim.

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