St. Cloud Man Killed Co-Worker After She Rejected His Advances

A St. Cloud man has been charged with killing a co-worker who prosecutors say rejected his advances.

Michael Carpenter, 36, has been charged with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting a co-worker, 28-year-old Nicole Hammond, in the parking lot of their workplace on Lincoln Avenue Northeast in St. Cloud at 6:59 a.m. on October 24.

Michael Carpenter

Nicole Hammond

Prosecutors, citing cell phone records, say Carpenter was harassing his co-worker. Those who worked with the victim and the suspect told investigators they knew Carpenter had made several unwanted advances over the past month, but her employer says nothing was ever reported to management.

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A search of Hammond’s cell phone showed text messages to Carpenter in which she told him she didn’t want him to “touch her” or “manipulate her” and asked that he “not make things uncomfortable at work.”

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