Shakopee Man Convicted In Beheading Of Girlfriend With Machete

SHAKOPEE, MN — A district court judge on Thursday convicted a Shakopee man of beheading his longtime girlfriend in 2021 with a machete.

Alexis Saborit, 44, was found guilty in a bench trial of first-degree murder in the death of America M. Thayer, 55. He will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Saborit hit Thayer with a dumbbell before slashing her after an argument, investigators said.

On July 28, 2021, Saborit was scheduled to appear for a court hearing before the district court at the Scott County Government Center at 1:00 p.m.

Saborit and his girlfriend, Thayer, got into an argument because Saborit refused to attend it, authorities said.

At about 2:30 p.m., a witness called 911 and reported a man “pulled a body out of his car and it has no head" at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Spencer Street in Shakopee, according to investigators.

Another witness — who was inside her home — watched Saborit throw Thayer's head on the ground, authorities said.

A dumbbell and machete were later found near the intersection, according to police.

In a police interview about the incident, Saborit said they got in an argument about court and that "I was really mad at that moment" and admitted to killing her, according to authorities.

Thayer's adult son told authorities that Saborit had a history of being physically abusive towards his man, investigators said.