Minnesota Man Charged With Girlfriend’s Murder After Fleeing Into Tree to Evade Police

Left: Craig Hameister. Right: Melissa Hunt

A Minnesota man is facing multiple charges after allegedly murdering his girlfriend and attempting to evade authorities by climbing into a tree during a dramatic hours-long standoff.

Craig Hameister, 44, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder—one with intent and one without—and one count of manslaughter in connection with the death of 36-year-old Melissa Hunt, according to the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office.

The case began when Hunt, suffering from critical facial injuries, drove into a homeowner’s driveway in Kellogg, a town approximately 90 miles southeast of Minneapolis. Authorities responded to a 911 call, and Hunt, still conscious, identified Hameister as her attacker. She told officers he had struck her with a stick at a nearby boat launch. She also provided a description of his white pickup truck and his home address. Hunt was transported to a hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

A postmortem examination revealed gunshot residue in the wounds to Hunt’s face, suggesting she had been shot rather than beaten. Investigators later recovered an unspent 9 mm round of ammunition at the boat launch, strengthening the case against Hameister.

Authorities tracked Hameister’s vehicle to a property in Chatfield, about 40 miles south of Kellogg. The truck’s door was open, and a 9 mm round was spotted on the floorboard. Homeowners at the scene reported that Hameister had arrived at their home in a state of panic, saying “something bad happened” and warning that police would be looking for him. A resident also discovered her 9 mm handgun missing after Hameister fled the scene on a motorcycle.

The search intensified with the involvement of the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement eventually located Hameister hiding in a wooded area, perched in a tree. He remained there for several hours during a standoff with police before being arrested and returned to Wabasha County Jail.

A 9 mm handgun was recovered near the tree where Hameister had been concealed.

Hameister is currently being held on $2 million bond as the investigation continues.