Minnesota Woman Accused of Fatally Stabbing Boyfriend During Late-Night Argument, Police Report
MINNESOTA – Police in St. Cloud have charged a 23-year-old woman with second-degree murder after investigators say she fatally stabbed her boyfriend during what she later described as a “stupid argument” inside her apartment early Monday morning.
According to a detailed probable cause affidavit, officers responded around 4 a.m. to an apartment on Washington Memorial Drive, where 25-year-old Quinton McKay Hughes had called 911 saying he’d been stabbed “by accident.” Dispatchers noted Hughes struggled to speak and began coughing during the call before Katerina Ivanovna Markiv, his girlfriend of two months, took the phone and reported the wound was “at his left nipple.” She could be heard apologizing to Hughes as the call continued.
When officers arrived, they found Hughes unresponsive on the floor, suffering from a severe stab wound and surrounded by a significant amount of blood. First responders attempted CPR, but Hughes was pronounced dead inside the apartment.
Suspect Told Police She Intended Only to ‘Scratch’ Him
After being advised of her Miranda rights, Markiv gave detectives a detailed account of the night leading up to Hughes’ death.
She told investigators that she and Hughes had been dating since October and worked together. Hughes had picked her up from work Sunday evening, and the pair spent the night at her apartment. Markiv said she had been drinking and “wanted to have fun,” referring to sex, but Hughes did not.
That disagreement escalated, and Markiv admitted she became upset, calling it a “stupid argument” she “made up in her head.” She told detectives Hughes kept “cutting her off,” which she said annoyed her. At some point, Markiv was holding an 8-inch knife and swung it toward Hughes, believing she would only “scratch” him.
According to the affidavit, Markiv described the moment by saying “something in my head got triggered,” and that her hand “just went forward” and “shanked him.” She reportedly told investigators she did not intend to kill Hughes, adding, “I sometimes don’t even know my own strength.”
Markiv said she put pressure on the wound and urged Hughes to call 911, insisting she did not want him to die.
Co-Workers Reported Concerning Behavior Prior to the Killing
Investigators interviewed co-workers who knew both Markiv and Hughes. One co-worker said Markiv often became “upset and very unhappy,” while another told police she had mentioned the prior week that she sometimes gets “so crazy to the point she will kill somebody.”
Those statements are now part of the ongoing investigation as prosecutors review the circumstances surrounding the fatal stabbing.
Charges and Next Court Appearance
Markiv remains held in the Stearns County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder. She is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, where a judge will review the evidence and determine future bail and procedural steps.
ChicagoMusicGuide.com will continue to follow developments in this case as more information becomes available.