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Man Pleads Guilty To Shooting The Mother Of His Child In The Face

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murdering the mother of his young child when he shot her in the face on Easter morning.

Dimitri Devonte Harrell, of St. Paul, had no plea deal with prosecutors when he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday in the death of 19-year-old Samirria White, officials in Dakota County said.

According to a criminal complaint, police said White shared an apartment with Harrell on the 800 block of Pierce Butler Route.

Witnesses who were in the apartment at the time of the shooting said they heard the two arguing in the bedroom before a single gunshot rang out. Harrell later told police that the couple's then 3-month-old child was in his arms when the gun fired.

Harrell fled the scene, telling the others in the apartment it was an accident. Relatives later took him to authorities.

Police said that Harrell told them his relationship with White had been rocky since he had fathered another child with another woman.

Harrell is slated to be sentenced on Sept. 24. He faces 40 years in prison.

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