A search is currently underway for a Minnesota man who was recently paroled for murder after being charged with killing his pregnant wife and linked to another shooting. Mychel Stowers, 36, is facing two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting that tragically took the life of 35-year-old Damara Alexis Kirkland, who was approximately two months pregnant.
Authorities discovered Kirkland's body after responding to reports of gunfire, with ultrasound photos found in the apartment and a letter addressed to Stowers in the mailbox. Stowers had been released on parole in March for a previous second-degree murder conviction in the 2008 shooting death of a St. Paul man. At the time of the recent shooting, he was on work release and residing at a halfway house, having been granted a pass to visit a woman described as his ex-wife.
Despite filing for divorce in June, records indicate that the divorce had not been finalized. The owner of the apartment where the shooting occurred revealed that Kirkland's estranged husband was living with her, a violation of the lease terms that led to an eviction notice being issued.
Shortly after Kirkland's shooting, a nearby carjacking incident took place where a 36-year-old man was wounded after leaving his keys in the ignition while disposing of trash. The victim reported being shot by an individual matching Stowers' description, resulting in a broken femur. The suspect then stole the victim's vehicle, with subsequent analysis linking the same gun used in the carjacking to Kirkland's shooting.
Following the incidents, Stowers contacted an employee with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, admitting to the shooting and expressing a desire to surrender. However, he has yet to turn himself in, and the stolen vehicle was later recovered in a parking lot. Authorities continue their search for Stowers as the investigation unfolds.
