Double Homicide in Lexington, Minnesota

LEXINGTON, MN

In the stillness of early morning, a 911 call shattered the quiet of a residential neighborhood in Anoka County. It was not an adult who called. It was a child.

According to official reports from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office and corroborated by regional coverage as of March 19, 2026, the caller told dispatchers that her mother and brother had been shot. She named the man responsible.

Within minutes, law enforcement was en route to the 9300 block of Ryan Place in Lexington. What they would find inside the home would mark one of the most devastating domestic violence cases in the region in recent memory.

The Incident

Officers from the Centennial Lakes Police Department, alongside deputies from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, arrived at approximately 12:52 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Inside the residence:

• Jennifer Sue Marsaw, 44, was found deceased from a gunshot wound to the chest.
• Her son, Marzai Andrew Dawson, 5, was located with critical injuries.
• The child was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.

Investigators have confirmed that multiple children were present in the home at the time of the shooting. Several were able to flee and seek help from nearby neighbors, an act that likely prevented further loss of life.

Suspect, Arrest, and Charges

Authorities identified the suspect as Irving Van Marsaw, 53, of Minneapolis, the estranged husband of Jennifer Marsaw.

Following the shooting, he fled the residence, triggering a coordinated search that included K-9 units. He was ultimately located hiding in a wooded area nearby and taken into custody.

Officials confirmed:

• The suspect was briefly hospitalized for undisclosed injuries.
• He was later booked into the Anoka County Jail.
• As of March 19, 2026, he has been formally charged with two counts of second-degree murder with intent.

According to court documents, the suspect allegedly told authorities the killings occurred “in the heat of passion,” a claim that prosecutors will now weigh against the totality of evidence.

The case is being reviewed and prosecuted by the Anoka County Attorney’s Office.

A Pattern of Escalation

As investigators continue to assemble the timeline, emerging details point to what advocates and experts recognize as a familiar and deeply troubling pattern.

Court records and witness accounts suggest a history of escalating domestic violence:

• A child in the home reported that an assault occurred as recently as March 3, 2026.
• The suspect had allegedly made prior threats to kill Jennifer Marsaw.
• One incident reportedly involved a knife confrontation, after which Jennifer removed him from the home.
• In a final exchange referenced in witness accounts, Jennifer stated she was “going to trial,” to which the suspect allegedly responded, “bet,” before ending the call.

Jennifer Marsaw’s father, Peter Bolling, described the relationship as “troublesome,” noting prior incidents of abuse that had already brought the suspect into contact with the criminal justice system.

For those who study domestic violence, these details are not isolated. They are indicators. Warning signs. Often visible in hindsight, and too often followed by irreversible outcomes.

The Children Left Behind

Jennifer Marsaw was the mother of eight children. Marzai, just five years old, was her youngest.

Several of her children were present during the shooting. In the chaos that followed, they escaped the home and ran to neighbors for help. Their actions, carried out under unimaginable fear, now stand as both a testament to survival and a haunting reminder of what they witnessed.

The Investigation

The case remains an active and multi-agency investigation involving:

• The Centennial Lakes Police Department
• The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office
• The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
• The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office

Authorities continue to process evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare the case for prosecution.

A Broader Reckoning

This tragedy, while rooted in a single home in Lexington, reflects a broader and persistent crisis.

Domestic violence remains one of the leading drivers of homicide involving women and children in the United States. The period surrounding separation from an abusive partner is widely recognized as one of the most dangerous.

The details emerging from this case follow a pattern seen across countless others:

• Escalating threats
• Prior incidents of violence
• Attempts to leave
• A final, irreversible act

Minnesota has invested in prevention systems, advocacy networks, and legal protections. Yet cases like this continue to expose the gaps that remain between warning and intervention.

A Community in Mourning

In Lexington, a city of fewer than 3,000 residents, the impact is immediate and deeply personal.

Neighbors describe a quiet neighborhood now marked by grief. In the days following the incident, candles and flowers began to gather near the home, a small but powerful act of remembrance for a mother and her child.

Their names now join a growing list that communities across the state continue to reckon with. Not as statistics, but as lives interrupted. As families are forever altered.

If You Need Help

Support is available for those experiencing domestic violence through the National Domestic Violence Hotline:

• Call: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
• Text: START to 88788
• Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

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