A man in Lexington, Minnesota, has been charged in connection with the murder of his estranged partner, Jennifer Sue Marsaw, and her 5-year-old son, Marzai Andrew Dawson.
Irving Van Marsaw is charged with two counts of second-degree murder. His first court appearance was scheduled to take place on Friday, March 20.
Irving, 53, was arrested after police responded to a report of a shooting at a home on Ryan Place. A criminal complaint stated that a child called 911 and said that her mother and brother had been shot by Irving, according to KSTP.
When authorities arrived, they found that Jennifer, 44, was already dead with a gunshot wound to the chest. Meanwhile, it was discovered that Marzai had been shot in the torso and arm. He was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
An autopsy found that Jennifer was shot in the chest at close range, while Marzai was shot in the back at close range.
The child who called 911 said that she and two of her siblings went on a walk, though they returned home when they heard several “pops.” She told investigators that her brother ran into the home and saw Irving walk out while holding a gun.
Irving ran into a shed on the property, and the boy ran outside and screamed that their mother and little brother had been shot. The children then ran to their neighbor’s house to call 911.
Irving was located by authorities and arrested around 1:33 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18. Investigators found a 9mm handgun in a nearby wooded area at the time of his arrest, per court documents.
After he was taken into custody, Irving made several comments about the murders and reportedly implied that they were committed “in the heat of passion.”
Meanwhile, the child who called 911 told investigators that Irving had a history of assaulting her mother and that he had done so as recently as March 3.
Shortly before the murder, Jennifer kicked Irving out of their home when they got into an argument over him holding a knife. The girl also recalled a conversation in which Jennifer told Irving that she was going to court amid their issues.
Jennifer filed a petition for a harassment restraining order against Irving in November 2025, in which she claimed that he “threatens to hurt me if I don’t tell him where I live.”
She also claimed in the petition that he made death threats against her and her children. “He makes demands and threatens to get all my food support and disability cut off,” she added, per the outlet.
Jennifer asked the court for another restraining order in February. “He has threatened to kill my children and myself,” she wrote, adding that he would enter her home without permission.
Both of the restraining orders were granted by a judge. However, records show that Jennifer asked for each of them to be dismissed about a month after they were both issued.
It is not currently clear if Irving has entered a plea or retained legal representation following his arrest. The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office had no further details to share when contacted by Us Weekly.
