Minnesota – In a disturbing case in Minnesota, a 38-year-old man, identified as M. Carpenter, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his 28-year-old female co-worker, identified as N. Hammond. Carpenter was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder after he shot Hammond in the parking lot of their workplace on October 24, 2022.
The charges were brought against Carpenter after it was revealed that he had been hitting on Hammond for months, but his attempts were consistently rebuffed. Text messages extracted from Hammond’s cellphone showed that she clearly expressed her desire not to be touched or manipulated by Carpenter. She also requested that he not make things uncomfortable at work.
On October 24, 2022, at approximately 6:59 a.m., officers from the police department responded to reports of gunshots outside a factory. Upon arrival, first responders found Hammond lying in the parking lot near her vehicle, with a pool of blood around her head. Despite immediate lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses told police that they saw Carpenter exit his car and walk toward the south end of the parking lot. Shortly after, they heard a gunshot and observed Carpenter running back to his car before driving away. Investigators noted that Hammond’s driver’s side door was open, and a spent shell casing and her keys were found near her body.
A search of Hammond’s cellphone uncovered numerous text messages exchanged between her and Carpenter the night before the shooting. In these messages, Hammond firmly stated that she did not want any physical contact with him and asked him not to make the workplace uncomfortable. She also mentioned to another person that Carpenter was angry with her. Co-workers confirmed that Carpenter had been making unwanted advances toward Hammond for several months and described him as having a bad temper.
While officers were interviewing employees, they learned that one co-worker was on the phone with Carpenter. During the call, Carpenter admitted he knew Hammond had been shot and said he was “not doing okay.” He mentioned he was at his sister’s house, where police later apprehended him without incident. A search of Carpenter’s vehicle revealed a 9mm handgun and magazines matching the shell casing found at the crime scene.
In police interviews, Carpenter denied shooting Hammond. He claimed he was walking toward her car when he heard a gunshot and saw someone else attending to her. Carpenter stated he was too traumatized to help or call 911, so he left the scene. He also admitted he hadn’t slept well the night before due to a text argument with Hammond.
Despite his denial, the evidence against Carpenter was compelling. The text messages provided a clear motive, eyewitness accounts placed him at the scene, and the firearm in his car matched the one used in the shooting.
On Friday, Carpenter was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. As he entered the courtroom, witnesses reported that he smiled and smirked before receiving his sentence. Hammond’s mother, T. Anderson, expressed her frustration with his demeanor. “He smirked so much it’s like now I want him behind the walls,” she said. “I just want him to pay for what he did to her.”
The tragic death of Hammond has left her family and community grieving. Authorities emphasize the importance of reporting workplace harassment and taking threats seriously to prevent such devastating incidents. This heartbreaking case highlights the severe consequences of unaddressed harassment and the importance of maintaining a safe work environment for all employees.
