Two Plead Guilty In Greenvale Township Homicide

GREENVALE TOWNSHIP, MN — Two of the four who were charged in July with the death of 55-year-old Chris Lafontaine in Greenvale Township in Dakota County have pled guilty, according to a news release from Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena.

Timothy Tuit, 36 of South St. Paul, and Stephanie Marie Peabody, 25 of Welch, both pled guilty to aiding an offender(accomplice after the fact), the news release said.

The sentencing date for Tuit and Peabody is set for May 11, Keena said.

"We are pleased that both Mr. Tuit and Ms. Peabody have taken responsibility for their
respective roles in the senseless death of Mr. Lafontaine," Keena said. "Our deepest sympathy is extended to Mr. Lafontaine’s family for their loss."

The Dakota County Attorney's Office also charged Ryann E. Smith, 22, of White Bear Lake and Nicholas A. Taylor, 29, of St. Paul with second-degree murder. Authorities also charged Taylor with first-degree burglary.

See also: 4 Charged In Killing Near Northfield

Dakota County Sheriff's deputies dispatched to a burglary in progress on July 2 at 4:45 p.m., officials said.

Deputies were told that a neighbor had knocked on Lafontaine's door to check on him when two men ran out and got into Lafontaine's white Durango, according to officials.

Lafontaine was found dead in the bathroom with his hands and feet tied together with cables, officials said

Northfield police found the Durango, but the driver sped away after they tried to pull it over, officials said. Eventually the car stopped and the occupants all ran into nearby woods, according to officials.

Police apprehended Peabody, the driver, and Tuit, the front seat passenger, according to the news release. Taylor ran away and was later apprehended in Montana along with Smith, according to officials.

Smith's jury trial is set for Jan. 10, 2022, according to the news release.

Taylor's jury trial is set for April 25, 2022, Keena said.