On December 24, 2025, at approximately 2:23 pm, deputies with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in Castle Rock Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, on a report the victim, Tatianna Marie Ehnes-Giles, [DOB REDACTED] (“Victim”), had been shot. During the 911 call, the reporting party, Victim’s mother, (“Witness 1”) stated the following. The victim [NAME REDACTED] in the head by her boyfriend, later identified as Demarco Marquie Jones, [DOB REDACTED] (“Jones”), and was not breathing.
Jones was still in the house, laying on the floor “in a trance” and Witness 1 was unsure if he shot himself. When asked, Witness 1 did not know where the gun was located. When deputies arrived at the residence, they located Jones on the second floor of the residence at the top of the stairs. Deputies observed that Jones had blood on his hands and the back of his head. Jones was able to verbally respond to deputies. Jones told deputies the gun was in “the room.” Jones was transported to the hospital.
Victim [NAME REDACTED] in her bedroom, lying on the bed. She had blood on and around her head. Medics arrived and confirmed she was deceased. A handgun and two spent shell casings were located. One spent casing was found on the ground near the bed and the other was found underneath Victim's body. Deputies spoke with Witness 1 at the residence who reported the following facts. Victim [NAME REDACTED] in the upstairs of the residence and have two children in common. One of the children (“Child 1”) came running downstairs and reported being scared after hearing something.
When asked by Witness 1 what Child 1 heard, the child banged on the wall twice. Witness 1 thought something fell off a shelf or tipped over. Thereafter both children went up the stairs and came running back down and said, “daddy fell.” Witness 1 went upstairs and saw Jones on the floor groaning. Jones told Witness 1 “I’ve been shot. She shot me, call 911.” Jones then said, “I shot her.” Witness 1 went into Victim’s bedroom and found her lying on the bed, covered in blood, with her hands in front of her face as if she was protecting herself.
While at the residence, deputies spoke with Victim’s brother (“Witness 2”) who reported the following facts. Jones and Victim are not married but have been together for about 6 to 7 years. They lived in the upstairs of the residence. Witness 2 lives downstairs. Witness 2 was in his room when Witness 1came running in saying, “Oh God, … help me.”, asking both he and God for help. Witness 2 went upstairs and saw Jones in the hallway. Jones told Witness 2 to call 911. Jones also told him he shot himself and 2 19HA-CR-25-2170 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 12/29/2025 said he caught the victim cheating.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the victim’s autopsy and determined the manner of death to be homicide and the cause of death to be a single gunshot wound to the head.
