Inset (left): Charles Foss (Minnesota Department of Corrections). Inset (right): Allison Lussier (Facebook). Background: The Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minn. (Google Maps).
A Minnesota man who allegedly beat his girlfriend to death after she reported him nine times has been charged with her murder.
Charles Foss, 36, was charged with second-degree murder and stalking more than two years after his girlfriend, 47-year-old Allison Lussier, was found dead in her apartment in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office announced on Thursday that "exhaustive legal analysis of the collected evidence and statutory requirements to reach proof beyond a reasonable doubt" led to the charges after the case was submitted in June 2024.
According to a statement of probable cause reviewed by Law&Crime, Lussier was found dead on Feb. 22, 2024. A witness told police that the last time she spoke to Lussier was on Feb. 17, 2024. The night before, Lussier reportedly called the police to report that Foss was in her apartment and refused to leave.
Police said they arrived at Lussier's apartment after receiving her call and escorted Foss out, telling him not to come back. According to the statement, the witness told police she left a flyer under Lussier's door on Feb. 19, 2024, to notify her about maintenance that was going to be done in her unit. On Feb. 22, 2024, the witness noticed that the flyer was in the same place, and she called police to conduct a welfare check.
According to the statement, Lussier was found on a mattress on the floor and "appeared to have been deceased for several days." An autopsy determined that she had fentanyl and methamphetamine in her system, but her cause of death was listed as "acute subdural hematoma on the left side of her skull." Lussier had several other "contusions" on her body and right eye.
Police determined that Lussier was texting Foss on the afternoon of Feb. 18, 2024, telling him, "[I] don't want to fight or talk about anything that's gonna turn into a fight," adding, "[I] love u and [I] also love myself enough to just forget about everything." Foss called Lussier later that day to tell her he was coming to her apartment, and she told him she would be there. Lussier last spoke with her sister around 3 p.m. that day. At 6 p.m., Lussier's sister tried calling her, but was unable to reach her.
Foss was reportedly staying at a homeless encampment during this time, and witnesses told police that he started telling people there, "I think I killed that b— this time." He allegedly "made several admissions" to multiple people that he "beat his girlfriend to death or that he killed his girlfriend."
According to the statement, Foss allegedly discussed killing Lussier with another witness and left a phone behind. The witness turned the phone over to police, who determined the phone belonged to Lussier.
A third witness told police that on Feb. 24, 2024, Foss "was acting strange" and allegedly saying that he was "wanted for murder" after he beat his girlfriend to death.
On July 30, 2024, Foss allegedly stole a vehicle and was spotted by police while he was behind the wheel. Foss allegedly fled the scene on foot after "ramming" into a squad car. According to the statement, Foss ran to a nearby residence, allegedly broke into the home, then threatened the residents inside with a knife. The residents ran out of the home, unharmed, and Foss barricaded himself inside. Police said Foss hid in a closet and cut his own throat with the knife. On the closet door, he reportedly wrote "sorry" in his own blood.
Foss eventually surrendered to police and was convicted of burglary in connection with the events of July 30, 2024.
According to the statement, police began investigating the history of the three-year relationship between Foss and Lussier and found that Lussier had reported Foss for domestic violence "numerous" times since 2021.
Local ABC affiliate KSTP reported that Lussier made "at least nine 911 calls" reporting Foss. An audit of the Minneapolis Police Department's handling of the case was conducted after Lussier's death. The review concluded that staffing shortages hindered the ability to make arrests in a timely manner and contributed to delayed response times.
Former Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara reportedly stated that Lussier died of a drug overdose despite the autopsy's findings that drugs were not a factor in her death. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty acknowledged during a press conference that the statement "was not true." She said, "I think good leaders acknowledge when something went wrong, and they dedicate themselves to making sure things improve in the future."
Foss is currently serving a 105-month sentence at the Minnesota Department of Corrections on a separate burglary charge. KSTP reported that he is expected to appear in court in connection with the latest charges in the coming days.
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