Man Charged In 1991 South Minneapolis Murder

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Prosecutors filed charges Thursday against a South St. Paul man for a murder that happened 27 years ago.

Police arrested 56-year-old Donald Jenkins of South St. Paul for the 1991 murder of 20-year-old Belinda Thompson.

Thompson was found stabbed to death in the bedroom of the Minneapolis apartment that she shared with her sister. New DNA tests led to the arrest.

Minneapolis Police say Jenkins was a suspect from the beginning, but until now they did not have enough evidence to make an arrest.

"We appreciate the tenacious detective work of the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI on this case and intend to bring Mr. Jenkins to justice," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said. "Although it does not change what happened to Ms. Thompson, we hope it will bring some closure to her family who have suffered with not knowing who murdered her for so many years."

Court documents say Jenkins confessed to the murder while being re-interviewed this week.

He is charged with second-degree murder and faces up to 40 years behind bars. His first court appearance is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

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