Minnesota Man Who Beheaded His Girlfriend in Front of Witnesses in 2021, Acquitted

According to reports, a Minnesota man who beheaded his girlfriend in front of several witnesses in 2021 was deemed not guilty of murder this week due to mental illness.

Alexis Saborit was initially convicted on May 11 of first-degree premeditated murder of America Thayer.

Minnesota Man Acquitted of Murder in Shakopee Beheading Case

On Monday, Judge Caroline Lennon ruled on Saborit's mental competency after psychologists determined that the suspect's mental disorder prohibited him from recognizing his immoral actions. According to Fox News, Saborit is accused of striking Thayer inside a vehicle in Shakopee with an 8-pound dumbbell and decapitating her with a machete.

Witnesses in vehicles and residences observed the attack, including one who captured what appeared to be the suspect dragging Thayer's body from the car and into the street before grabbing her by the hair.

Just before the assault, they were on their way to his court appearance on felony charges alleging he set their apartment on fire during a confrontation with police. Thayer informed Saborit that she wished to terminate their relationship, at which point he attacked her.

As Saborit fled the scene, he discarded the machete. According to a local news station, officers discovered the machete in a waste can in an alley, and Saborit was apprehended a short distance away. The suspect allegedly confessed to a friend that he planned to decapitate his fiancée days before the incident and was chuckling about it. In the indictment, Saborit's initial allegation of second-degree murder was upgraded to first-degree murder.

Suspect to be Transferred to Mental Facility

According to the news station, he renounced his right to a jury trial in January, and the magistrate issued the verdict on May 11. However, Saborit's counsel claimed he had mental health issues throughout the proceedings. Regardless of the allegations, the judge rendered the decision.

Saborit's counsel filed a motion for not guilty because of mental illness on July 12 after a state-issued psychologist stated that the suspect's mental illness "prevented him from comprehending that his actions were immoral."

The magistrate concurred and declared Saborit not guilty due to mental illness on Monday. The Scott County Detention will hold Saborit until he can be transferred to a psychiatric treatment facility, as per CBS Minnesota via MSN.

Dial 988 if you or someone you know requires mental health assistance. There you will find a trained crisis counselor who can assist you. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) also provides online resources.

People can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3233 for discreet, confidential assistance.