On December 21, 2025, at approximately 6:25 P.M., Saint Paul Officers were dispatched to the [ADDRESS REDACTED] on a domestic where a female and male were heard arguing. When officers arrived, they heard yelling. TKC approached an officer, grabbed her arm, and wanted to speak outside. TKC said she worked all day at home on her laptop. MICHAEL DEWAYNE BURTON, [DOB REDACTED], was also home all day and was drinking. In the evening, BURTON looked for his phone. She refused to help him look for his phone.
BURTON became upset because she and the kids would not help him look for his phone. They argued. BURTON wanted to use her phone and she refused. BURTON put his arms around her in an attempt to get her phone. She threw the phone out through the window. BURTON put her in a reverse chokehold while she was on the bed, with his arm around her neck. She yelled “French Fries,” a safe word to alert the children to call police. While BURTON choked her, he called her a b****. Her ability to breathe normally was impeded.
TKC believed BURTON was going to choke her until she passed out. BURTON was in the living room standing next to a television with two holes in it when officers arrived. Two children were in the living room trying to watch television, but were unable to due to the damage. When asked what the problem was, BURTON said he could not remember. A juvenile male (approximately eight years old) said the argument was about BURTON losing his phone. BURTON told the child, “Thank you for reminding me.” BURTON appeared extremely intoxicated.
BURTON said his girlfriend damaged the television. He said he lost his phone, asked his girlfriend to help him look for it, and she did. BURTON said his girlfriend was upset earlier because they ran out of baby wipes. BURTON said his wife is two months pregnant. During blueprint questions, TKC said she believes BURTON will seriously injure or kill her. BURTON choked her in the past and she nearly passed out. Noiice: Pursuant to Minnesota Statute 609.49, subd. 1 (a) A person charged with or convicted of a felony and released from custody, with or without bail or recognizance, who intentionally fails to appear when required after having been notified that a failure to appear for a court appearance is a criminal offense, or after having been released on an order or condition that the release personally appear when required with respect to the charge or conviction, is guilty of a crime for failure to appear and may be sentenced to not more than one‐half of the maximum term of imprisonment or fine, or both, provided for the underlying crime for which the person failed to appear, but this maximum sentence shall, in no case, be less than a term of imprisonment of one year and one day or a fine of $1,500, or both.
