Jury convicts man of murdering roommate in West St. Paul psychiatric home

A jury on Wednesday found a man guilty of murder in the brutal stabbing death of a fellow resident at a West St. Paul psychiatric facility more than four years ago.

A Dakota County jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding 43-year-old John C. Adams guilty of second-degree premeditated murder in the death of 68-year-old David Eugene Rahn on February 17, 2020. The defendant was found to have stab wounds to his face, neck, back and upper extremities.

The guilty verdict followed a four-day trial before Dakota County District Judge Michael Mayer, who scheduled Adams' sentencing for December 20.

Adams' attorney, Alex Rogosheske, declined to comment on the verdict.

According to court records, Adams was first committed to Hennepin County in October 2000 for a mentally ill and dangerous condition. At the time of the murder, he had been on probation from Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter since November 2018, when he moved into the residential facility.

The murder trial was adjourned in May 2000 after a medical report found Adams unfit to stand trial. The trial resumed in October last year after he was found unfit to stand trial following years of treatment at the state hospital.

According to the criminal complaint, an employee heard a commotion in Rahn's bedroom and then heard Rahn screaming for help. The employee tried to get in, but Adams blocked the door and said it was “okay.”

During a phone call with an emergency dispatcher, the employee said that Rahn's room had become quiet and that “something was wrong.”

When the first officer arrived at the government-run dorm at 1546 Christensen Avenue shortly after 4 a.m., he saw a shirtless man – later identified as Adams – running from the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall building across the street and into the dorm.

Police and paramedics performed CPR on Rahn, but he was pronounced dead. His injuries also included at least 20 stab wounds to one hand, consistent with defensive wounds, and blunt force trauma to the head.

Adams, who was in his bedroom, told officers Rahn “invaded his room” and attacked him. They wrestled, Adams said, before he ran and grabbed a knife to defend himself.

Adams said he threw the knife in a trash can near the Jehovah's Witnesses building. Officers found a bloody, badly bent serrated knife in a white plastic bag with duct tape wrapped around the top. Bloody gloves were also found.

During an interview at police headquarters, Adams's statement changed. He said he went to bed sometime between 11:30 p.m. and midnight. At about 1:30 a.m., when he got up to go to the bathroom, he saw Rahn standing in Rahn's doorway with a knife in his hand.

According to Adams, Rahn told him to come in, which he did. Adams told investigators Rahn said he had nothing left to live for and began stabbing himself. Adams said he tried to take the knife from Rahn, but was unable to and believed Rahn was going to attack him.

Adams said he waited in a corner of the bedroom while Rahn continued to stab himself until he ran out of strength. Adams said he then took the knife, walked across the street and cried before returning to the dorm.

Previous calls home

West St. Paul police records show that officers have responded to seven calls since the residence received its license from the Department of Human Services in early 2014. The calls involved a disturbance, damage to a vehicle and two missing persons reports.

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Adams was reported missing on June 23, 2019. This led to DHS filing a motion to revoke Adams' temporary release with the Hennepin County Mental Health Court that same day. However, the motion was withdrawn by DHS the next day after Adams was found and returned to the group home.

In the court filing, Soniya Hirachan, then-medical director of forensic services, direct care and treatment at DHS, wrote that her team would be in touch with Adams.

“I expect that (Forensic Community Support Services) and additional support measures will ensure that Mr. Adams returns to compliance with his tentative release plan so that his reintegration into society can continue to be successful,” she wrote.