Tonya Jean Zens

On 03/22/2026 at about 1906 hours, St. Paul Police were near an unsheltered encampment at 1301 L'orient Street in St. Paul, Ramsey County when they spotted a stolen 2005 Chevrolet Classic sedan (MN/TJR408) parked in a dirt area. It was unoccupied. When police asked who owned the vehicle, encampments residents pointed to a female whom they referred to as "KARMA." Officers later identified "KARMA" as Tonya Jean ZENS (DOB:1984-04-14). Other residents said ZENS and a white male come in the encampment with the vehicle.

Police were approached by ZENS and a white male; later identified as Troy Andrew CANN (DOB:1993- 07-03). CANN was holding car keys and said they were the keys for the vehicle. ZENS falsely identified herself as "Karma Jackson 04/21/1984." ZENS said the vehicle belonged to her “mom”; “MAI”. ZENS also said that the vehicle belonged to “MAI’s” sister. ZENS then said that “MAI” was only a friend that she referred to as her “mom.” ZENS said MAI left on foot to get gas but would come back. According to ZENS, MAI parked the vehicle in the encampment because it ran out of gas, gave the keys to CANN, and walked to the gas station.

Both ZENS and CANN said they never drove the vehicle. After determining ZENS’ true identity, police discovered she had an active warrant for 2nd degree assault and arrested her. After being Mirandized, ZENS said she was driving the vehicle the day before in the afternoon and drove it to the Speedway station to buy gas. One witness, YA, said he saw ZENS driving the vehicle into the encampment the night before, did not see anyone else driving the vehicle, and did not see MAI in or around the vehicle.

Another witness, “PV” said he saw a white male, that could have been CANN, drive the vehicle earlier that day, did not see anyone else driving it, and did not see MAI in or around the vehicle. CANN was arrested. During a search incident to arrest, CANN said he had drugs inside his jacket pocket, which police recovered. The substance later tested positive for methamphetamine with a net weight of 0.22 grams. During a post-Miranda interview, CANN said that he is friends with ZENS and she gave him the keys to the vehicle to retrieve her belongings.

He said he had no involvement with the car, had never driven it, and didn’t know it was stolen. He said it showed up about 2-3 days earlier and he believed ZENS’ boyfriend, named “Never Dies,” drove it into the encampment. Finally, CANN said that he got the methamphetamine from a friend. For purposes of Rule 6.