Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Anarae Schunk Is Dead 'Without a Shadow of a Doubt'

'Evidence ... has led us to believe that Anarae Schunk may have been the victim of a homicide,' Burnsville police said in a statement Saturday.

Updated below (3:30 p.m. Saturday).

Original post (Noon, Saturday): 
 Anarae Schunk will not be found alive, police have told her family according to media reports. 

NEW SUNDAY: With Word of Bloody Jacket, Searchers Seek Anarae Schunk's Body
The 20-year-old University of Minnesota student had not been seen since Sept. 22, when she was in a Burnsville bar with Anthony Nelson, who prosecutors charged Thursday with murder in the shooting of Palagor Obang Jobi. (Lakeville police assisted Burnsville police responding to the incident.)

"Without a shadow of a doubt" she is dead, KARE 11, the Minnesota Daily and other news outlets are reporting, citing what the family announced police told them. 

Burnsville police did not immediately respond to Patch's calls for comment.

Update 1 (12:30 p.m. Saturday): Here is the message on Facebook at the Please Help Find Anarae Schunk group page:

"Late last night Police confirmed the worst, Anarae is no longer with us. We will leave the page up as a tribute to all the wonderful people who loved and cared for Anarae and all that she stands for. Thank you for your support throughout. Official details to be released by the PD shortly."

Update 2 (3:30 p.m. Saturday): Here is a statement from Burnsville Police Department Saturday as posted online (PDF) by KSTP-TV

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATION INTO THE WHEREABOUTS OF ANARAE KRISTINE SCHUNK

The Burnsville Police Department is continuing its active investigation to locate Anarae Kristine Schunk, age 20 of Burnsville, who disappeared following the shooting death of Palagor Obang Jobi on September 22, 2013. At the time of this shooting, Ms. Schunk was with her ex-boyfriend Shavelle Chavez-Nelson, who has been charged in connection with this shooting death, and Nelson's current girlfriend, Ashley Conrade, who has also been charged in connection with the matter. According to Ms. Conrade, Anarae Schunk returned to Conrade's Rosemount townhome with her and Nelson following the shooting.

Neither Nelson, Conrade or multiple other persons questioned by police have provided any information about Anarae Schunk's current whereabouts.

Find out what's happening in Lakevillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Burnsville police have conducted numerous searches of various locations in connection with trying to locate Anarae Schunk and have obtained several items of evidence in connection with this matter.

Last night Burnsville police recovered additional evidence which has led us to believe that Anarae Schunk may have been the victim of a homicide. This information was shared with Anarae Schunk's family late last night.

Find out what's happening in Lakevillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Details concerning the evidence recovered in this case are not being made public at this time. Searches continue in connection with our efforts to locate Anarae Schunk. No further public comments concerning this case will be made at this time.

Anyone with any information pertaining to this on-going investigation is asked to call the tip line at 952-895-4636. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Lakeville