America Thayer, 55, was brutally murdered by 44-year-old Alexis Saborit and will likely receive life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A Minnesota man who beheaded his girlfriend on a busy road has been found guilty of her murder.
Alexis Saborit, 44, was found guilty of killing America Thayer, 55, in July 2021 after a Jan. 25 court hearing during which he “waived his right to a jury trial,” according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE from the Minnesota Department of Justice.
According to court records, Saborit was found guilty of “the crime of murder — 1st degree — Premeditated.” The date of his review hearing is June 1.
According to an ABC News article, District Attorney Ron Hocevar believes Saborit will now receive a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
According to court documents, Judge Caroline H. Lennon found “proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant caused the death of America Thayer.”
She said that around 2:00 p.m. at Shakopee’s Memorial Park, witnesses noted, “Thayer alive with Defendant in her Chrysler 300 sedan.” The guy attacked the lady in a Chrysler 300 about 30 minutes later near the intersection of Spencer Street and Fourth Avenue in Shakopee, about a mile from Memorial Park, according to multiple witnesses.
Other eyewitnesses then “saw the man standing outside in front of the open passenger door and hitting the victim with a hand weight,” she added. They also “saw the man cut the passenger seat with a large knife and then remove the severed body and severed head from the vehicle.”
When the witnesses “drove by again, they saw a body and a severed head on the ground outside the vehicle.”
Lennon said: “The defendant struck Thayer in the head with a barbell and cut her head off with a machete. The nature of the attack serves as evidence that the defendant intended to kill Thayer.”
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Officers responded to a report of a stabbing between Fourth Avenue and Spencer Street in July 2021, according to a news release from the Shakopee Police Department. Later, “stab wounds” were found on Thayer, who was found dead at the scene on a sidewalk in Shakopee, Minnesota.
According to the news release, “Officers quickly arrested 42-year-old Shakopee resident Alexis Saborito on suspicion of second-degree murder.”
Lennon on Thursday described the relationship between Saborit and Thayer as “tumultuous and marked by frequent arguments and allegations of abuse”, in addition to alleged earlier threats.
“Thayer wanted to end the relationship and the defendant knew she wanted to ‘get rid of him,'” the court statement continued.
Thayer’s staff at MyPillow discussed the tragic aftermath of her gruesome murder in 2021 in an interview with SW News Media.
“I went over there today, went to the store, and got her a rose and a teddy bear for her desk,” Jamie Worley noted. “When I arrived, I didn’t even look at my co-workers. I just sat at her desk and kept my head down. All I could do was cry. It was, and still is, a highly emotional day.”
Nicky Kendrick, Thayer’s longtime friend of five years, added that Thayer was “soft, so funny, and always had amazing stories.”
“She was just really the most considerate person. I haven’t met anyone as friendly as America since my late grandmother,” Kendrick told the publication. “I’m inconsolable, it’s surreal and I’m just at a loss for words.”
If you are a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All phone calls are free and private. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
In this tragic event, it is important to raise awareness about domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. The hotline provides confidential support and is available 24/7 in over 170 languages.