Charges: Rochester man beat ex-girlfriend to death, hid from police in a tree

A Rochester man has been charged with beating a woman he was previously in a relationship with to death.

Craig Alan Hameister, 44, faces two counts of second-degree murder.

As previously reported, the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office responded to a medical call in Kellogg on Wednesday. A 911 caller reported a woman drove into their driveway and had significant injuries to her face.

RELATED: Man suspected of killing a woman in Wabasha County arrested near Chester Woods Park

When authorities got to the home, they found Melissa Nicole Hunt, 36, who was missing several teeth and a portion of her jaw. Authorities previously stated she and Hameister had previously been in a relationship together.

According to court documents, Hunt told officers that Hameister had hit her with a stick near the new boat launch in Kellogg. She was able to describe Hameister’s truck.

Hunt was brought to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Hameister’s truck was found near a home in Olmsted County, and a live 9 mm round was found on the floor. The home’s residents told police that Hameister showed up, appearing “very frantic” and stating that “something bad happened,” court documents state.

Hameister also reportedly told the resident that police would be coming before leaving on a motorcycle. The resident said she noticed her 9 mm handgun was missing.

On another search of the boat launch, police found an unspent round of ammunition.

Court documents state that Hameister was found in Olmstead County. When police tried to arrest him, he climbed a tree to avoid being arrested.

He was eventually arrested after an hours-long standoff. A 9 mm handgun was found at the base of the tree he was in.

Investigators found gunshot residue in Hunt’s wounds.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, several resources are available to offer help. For immediate help, contact:

The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.

Minnesota Day One at 866-223-1111.

The Women’s Advocates crisis line at 651-227-8284.

More than 12 million people just in the U.S. are affected by domestic violence every year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

The organizations listed above can help connect victims to resources like safe shelter, advocacy, legal help and support groups.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to see those.

Other organizations that can help include:

Violence Free Minnesota at 651-646-6177 or 800-289-6177.

STANDPOINT(formerly the Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project) at 612-343-9842.

Mending the Sacred Hoop at 888-305-1650.

Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault at 612-209-9993.

Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for victims of crimes that can be found HERE.

The post Charges: Rochester man beat ex-girlfriend to death, hid from police in a tree first appeared on KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.