On October 28, 2025, at 1956 hours, Ramsey County deputies responded to an address on the 1000 block of Pond View Court, Vadnais Heights, Ramsey County, on a report of a recent sexual assault. Deputies spoke to a 51-year-old female who identified herself as RS. She had leaves entangled in her hair. Her hands were shaking. She had scratch marks across the left side of her face and a red abrasion across her throat. She told deputies that “it hurts too much to sit down.” RS said that she was out on an evening walk.
She was using headphones to speak to a friend on her phone. She was walking southbound on Centerville Road near Langer’s Tree Service. Suddenly, someone ran into her from behind and pushed her off the sidewalk into the grass. A male covered her mouth with his hand and told her that he tripped and fell into her. He then grabbed her and took her to the ground. Her headphones and phone separated and fell to the grass. He ordered her not to scream. She yelled out to her friend on the phone to call 911. She fought the male.
She grabbed his glasses and threw them into the grass. Cars drove by but nobody stopped. She yelled for help. The male pinched her nose shut and covered her mouth. He had large hands. She could tell he was a bigger person. He used his weight to hold her down and control her. She was unable to breathe. The male took his forearm and pressed down on her neck. She believed that she was going to die. He pulled her leggings down to her ankles. He forced his penis and fingers into her vagina and anus. It was painful.
He also put his hands and mouth on her breasts and vaginal area. He spoke sexual profanities during the assault. She begged him to let her go home. He said, “Not until I cum.” She believed the assault lasted 15-30 minutes. The suspect did not seem to care that he was assaulting her in public. When the assault stopped, she separated herself from the male and prepared to run into the middle of Centerville Road. The male casually walked toward her on the sidewalk and said, “I have to leave this way too.” He walked ahead of her down the sidewalk.
She ran to the address on Pond View Court and asked for help. RS took deputies to the scene of the sexual assault. Deputies recovered her shoes, headphones, and glasses. Deputies also located the male suspect’s glasses. RS went to the hospital for a sexual assault nurse examination. The nurse examiner observed multiple vaginal tears, bleeding, and bruising. RS also had blood in her anus. The nurse examiner collected multiple swabs for DNA analysis. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension analyzed the swabs and found that a major male DNA profile obtained from a sperm cell fraction matched the known offender DNA profile for Tristen Alan Leritz, [DOB redacted], AKA, Trsiten Alan Leritz, [DOB redacted]. Investigators obtained tips from the public identifying Leritz as the assailant.
