Stabbing Suspect Charged With First Degree Intentional Homicide

The suspect involved in a deadly stabbing spree on Friday, July 29, 2022 in St. Croix County has been formally charged Monday, August 1 after appearing in St. Croix County court.

52-year-old Nicolae Miu of Prior Lake, Minnesota is charged with one count of first degree intentional homicide and four counts of attempted first degree intentional homicide after he allegedly stabbed five people while tubing on the Apple River near Somerset, Wisconsin.

One of the victims, a 17-year-old boy from Minnesota, died in the attack.

According to the criminal complaint, Miu was tubing with friends on the river when he separated from the group to look for a lost cell phone in the river.

While looking for the phone, Miu says he was approached by a group of people accusing him of being a pedophile and throwing some of his diving gear in the river. Some members of the group also tried to pull his swimming shorts down, Miu said.

A physical altercation took place and Miu said he saw two of the people he was fighting had knives.

Miu said he grabbed one of the knives and started swinging in order to get away from the group and that the stabbings were done in self defense.

Miu has a preliminary hearing set for August 12.