BALTIMORE — A 36-year-old woman was stabbed to death in South Baltimore on April 18.
Now her 59-year-old boyfriend is charged with her murder.
Just after 2:45am officers were called to the 500 block East Jeffery Street.
According to charging documents, police initially arrived at the scene for reports of a burglary in progress.
Officers arrived at the scene and located the woman bleeding from the head and neck.
Life saving measures were attempted, but the victim, identified as Shakita Thomas, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Later that day officers spoke to a witness who was driving in the area at the time of the assault.
The witness stated he saw a woman being knocked out. He said he also witnessed a tall man with salt and pepper hair standing there holding a purse.
When the man saw the witness he then told him to 'mind his business.'
The next day, through a meeting with Thomas' family, police were able to obtain the identity of the suspect, Kenneth Craig, or KC for short.
Police obtained a vehicle description from the family and a cellphone number for Craig.
With that information police were able to learn that a 1990 Chevy van was registered to Craig with Maryland tags. Police spotted those same tags using a departmental database just 18 minutes from the crime scene the day of the murder.
Craig was later apprehended by police and taken in for questioning.
He confirmed that was in a relationship with Thomas but they later broke up.
During the time of the incident, Craig told police he was two blocks away with another woman when the stabbing occurred.
While interviewing Craig, officers noticed a cut, scratch and bruised finger on his right hand.
Craig consented to DNA swabs of his mouth and hand injuries and was later released to a friend's home in the area.
On April 24 a forensic test was requested to compare Craig's DNA to the DNA collected during the investigation.
The lab report was completed on July 14, showing a match between both samples.
Further details from a 911 dispatcher reveal that a caller advised that a man punched a woman in the face and took her purse.
Surveillance video revealed the Chevy van that Craig drove was driving away from the scene around 2:58am in an attempt to avoid traffic control devices.
Craig was apprehended by police on July 28 and is charged with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, and reckless endangerment.
