In Minnesota, a man faces charges of murdering his estranged partner and her young son just hours after she informed him of her intent to take him to court.

Irving Van Marsaw, aged 53, has been indicted on two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of 44-year-old Jennifer Sue Marsaw and her 5-year-old son, Marzai Andrew Dawson. He is currently being held with bail set at $5 million.

According to a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, Irving Marsaw had a history of “assaulting” and “threatening to kill” Jennifer Marsaw, with incidents as recent as March 3, as stated by her daughter. Court documents further reveal a troubling pattern of abusive behavior.

Jennifer Marsaw sought a restraining order against Irving Marsaw in November 2025, explaining to the court that he threatened her to disclose her location, as reported by regional ABC affiliate KSTP. She also mentioned his threats to cut off her food support and disability benefits.

In February, she again requested a restraining order, reporting that Irving Marsaw “has threatened to kill my children and myself” and had been stalking her and entering her home uninvited.

Although both restraining orders were initially granted, KSTP records indicate that Jennifer Marsaw later requested the withdrawal of each order about a month following their issuance.

On March 17, Jennifer Marsaw “kicked Defendant out of the house after an argument involving Defendant holding a knife,” the criminal complaint states. The woman’s daughter said the last conversation she heard between the two was, at about 7 p.m., her mother “saying that Defendant better believe she was going to trial, to which Defendant responded, ‘Bet,’ and hung up.”

Hours later, after midnight, the daughter “went on a short walk outside” with two of her siblings. When they returned to their home on the 9300 block of Ryan Place in Lexington, Minnesota, about five minutes later, she heard several “pops.”

The daughter’s younger brother “ran into the home as Defendant walked out of the front door holding a handgun,” the complaint goes on. “Defendant made eye contact with her brother and paused as her brother ran into the home before Defendant ran to a shed on the property.”

Within a few seconds, the younger brother “came running out screaming that their mother and little brother were shot,” authorities stated. The daughter then assembled her siblings and “ran to a neighbor’s house” to call 911.

Officers with the Centennial Lakes Police Department arrived at the home at about 12:50 a.m. after the daughter had called and said her mother and brother “were shot inside their home” by a man named “Irving.” Officers noted that based on “prior contacts,” and with the description given, they identified their suspect as Irving Marsaw.

Police found Jennifer Marsaw “with apparent gunshot wounds to the chest.” Marzai, the 5-year-old boy, “was still breathing with apparent gunshot wounds to the chest and left arm.” He was brought to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

“Officers immediately established a perimeter and located Defendant hiding in a wooded area a few blocks west with the use of a K9 unit,” the complaint states. Irving Marsaw was taken into custody at 1:33 a.m. Several hours later, authorities found a 9 mm handgun across the street behind the residence.

Police said that while in custody, Irving Marsaw “made several statements referencing the incident insinuating it was committed ‘in the heat of passion.’”

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on both shooting victims and found that Jennifer Marsaw’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest “fired at contact range.” Marzai’s cause of death was determined to be “a gunshot wound to the back, fired at contact range.” The two “spent bullets” as well as an unspent round were found near the bodies.

Irving Marsaw was scheduled to appear in court for the first time on Friday, and he is set to return on April 14.