Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced that Shavelle Oscar Chavez-Nelson, age 33 (currently residing in Stillwater prison) pled guilty this afternoon to one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Unintentional), in connection with the stabbing death of Anarae Schunk, age 20 of Burnsville, that took place on or about September 22, 2013 at a home in Rosemount. Anarae Schunk had been reported missing by her family on September 23, 2013. Her body was found in rural Rice County on September 30, 2013. Judge Kathryn Messerich sentenced Chavez-Nelson to an agreed upon sentence of 204 months in prison.
Chavez-Nelson is currently serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of Palagor Oband Jobi that had occurred during the early morning hours of September 22, 2013 outside a bar and grill in Burnsville, Minnesota. The 204 month sentence will run concurrently with the life sentence imposed on the previous case. (A copy of the indictment and the criminal complaint in the previous case can be found at
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Backstrom commented: “Once again I wish to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Anarae Schunk for their great loss. The negotiated settlement of this case was agreed upon with the support of Anarae’s family who had expressed a desire to negate any additional trauma to family and friends that may have resulted from a trial. This conviction and sentence will not have any impact on the life sentence Chevez-Nelson is currently serving for the murder of Palagor Oband Jobi.”
Backstrom praised Assistant County Attorney Kathy Keena, who prosecuted this case. Backstrom thanked the Rosemount Police Department, the Burnsville Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the lead agencies involved in this investigation, and other assisting law enforcement agencies including the Apple Valley Police Department, the Lakeville Police Department, the Eden Prairie Police Department, and the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office and the Rice County Sheriff’s Office.
If you have questions, contact Monica Jensen at 651-438-4440.
