The following is based on your complainant’s review of the reports of other officers and your complainant’s own investigation: September 13 (25-168192) On September 13, 2025, at about 2025, at about 1:45pm, St. Paul Police responded to an apartment on Hampden Ave., St. Paul, Ramsey County on a report from a neighbor that a window in the apartment appeared to have been shattered, such that anyone could climb in. On arrival, officers met with SNH ([DOB REDACTED]). She said that her ex-boyfriend is the defendant, CORNELL JOVUN EVANS ([DOB REDACTED]). She said that that morning, they argued, during which he broke the window and climbed in through it. (She said that he was on the lease and receiving mail at the apartment though was not living there at the time.) She said that he pushed her to the wall, took her phones, pulled her by the hair, and bit her forearm.
Officers observed and photographed the broken window and a full bitemark to SNH’s forearm. October 31 (25-200986) About seven weeks later, on October 31 at about 10:15pm, Ramsey County Emergency 911 received a call from SNH at the apartment on Hampden. She said that the defendant had just assaulted and strangled her. Officers responded again with her SNH. She said that a short time earlier, the defendant had again come to the apartment through her bedroom window and asked for his belongings. She said that he became angry at her and punched her multiple times in the head with a closed fist.
She said that he then strangled her, with both hands around her neck, for about ten seconds. She said that he also slammed her onto the bed and kneed her in the head. She said that he left for about 15 minutes, briefly returned, and then left again. SNH said that during the strangulation, she could not breathe and felt light-headed. She said that her throat was now sore. A friend of SNH was in the apartment during the incident. The friend told officers that she saw the defendant hit SNH multiple times and then saw him put his hands around SNH’s neck for about ten seconds, after which SNH began to wheeze.
Officers observed and photographed marks and swelling to the sides of SNH’s neck; the swelling appeared to worsen during their time with her. They noticed that the lock on SNH’s bedroom window – through which the defendant had entered – was broken. They observed and photographed damage to SNH’s front door, bedroom door, and wall which SNH said had been caused by him. SNH told officers that the defendant drives a blue Honda and sometimes stays at a home on Edmund Ave. Officers went there and found the defendant in front in a blue Honda.
He was taken into custody. In follow up interviews, SNH reiterated her statements from both September 13 and October 31. In a Mirandized interview, the defendant confirmed that he had been upset with SNH and that they had argued. He claimed that she hit him twice and that he hit her back. He denied having strangled her but said that he did grab her lower chest in order to defend himself. He claimed to have visible injuries but refused 2 ••-CR-••-•••• Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 11/3/2025 to allow officers to photograph or even see them.
