Murder charge dropped in case of Twin Cities woman who disappeared from shelter in 2009

For 15 years, law enforcement from multiple states have searched in vain for April Pease.

She had transferred to a Bloomington homeless shelter with her son in 2009 when her abusive ex-boyfriend and an accomplice allegedly tracked her down and kidnapped her. Investigators suspect she was then driven to a middle-of-nowhere town in Oklahoma, strangled to death and dismembered. She’s never been seen again.

This week, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office closed one part of the cold case.

It dismissed aiding-and-abetting second-degree murder charges against Kellee Sorensen for her role in Pease’s killing. Local prosecutors say Sorensen was the accomplice of Cedric Marks, a Texas man who is currently on death row for a double homicide in that state.

Marks was charged with Pease’s killing in Hennepin County District Court in 2020, but because his Texas conviction and death sentence has jurisdictional authority, he has never been tried here and his Minnesota case remains open. Sorensen was also charged in connection with Pease’s death in 2020 and found incompetent to stand trial in 2021.

Since being charged, she has aided in the investigation including traveling with Bloomington police and Hennepin County attorneys to Oklahoma to try and find Pease’s remains.

The dismissal of her charges was based on both helping investigators and her mental incompetency. It was signed by Chris Freeman, the head of adult prosecution in the County Attorney’s Office.

For years, the investigation has been driven by Bloomington police officers, most notably detective George Harms, who is still actively trying to find Pease.

Kim Clauson, Bloomington‘s deputy police chief, said that while investigators have been in contact with Sorensen with the assistance of her sister, who is her legal guardian, “information is slow coming and must be carefully verified for accuracy” because of Sorensen‘s mental capacity.

“There is hope,” Clauson said. “But also the realization Sorensen may not be able to provide the information we need.”

Bloomington police and Hennepin County child protection officials were contacted about the disappearance of Pease and the abandonment of her son at the Bloomington homeless shelter on the same day in 2009.

Attempts to find Pease were fruitless.

Ten years later, law enforcement in Temple, Texas, contacted Bloomington police about the discovery of two bodies in Oklahoma tied to Marks.

The bodies were Marks’ ex-girlfriend, Jenna Scott, and her friend, Michael Swearingin. Marks, a former mixed martial arts fighter who went by the nickname “Spider-Man,” was charged with murder for those deaths in Bell County, Texas in 2019.

In that case, Marks was convicted of capital murder for strangling his victims and burying them in a shallow grave in Clearview, Okla., population 41. That is the same town where investigators suspect Marks killed Pease after kidnapping her.

At sentencing in 2023, he said he deserved the penalty.

“I have not told the truth, I have been a liar ... I deserve the harshest punishment,“ Marks said, according to media reports. “I helped cleaned it up and I lied to everyone about it. I’m not asking anyone to spare me, anyway. I’m dealing with colon cancer and I’m ready to go.”

Texas police said the “modus operandi” of that murder — including Marks using a girlfriend to help cover up and transport the victims — led them to investigate Marks for the disappearance and death of Pease.

Bloomington police flew to Washington to interview April’s mother, Dottie Pease. She said Marks had gotten her daughter pregnant while being married to another woman. There was a fierce custody battle.

Pease turned to drugs because of abuse from Marks. She entered a homeless shelter in Seattle for treatment in 2008. Seattle police reports showed that Marks had called her at the shelter and told her the next time he saw her he was going to stab her in the face. He was arrested the next day after showing up at the shelter.

Pease was transferred to the Bloomington shelter to try and get away from Marks. She took their son with her.

While they were in Washington, Bloomington police also interviewed Sorensen alongside detectives with the Bellingham Wash., Police Department.

Sorensen waived her right to remain silent and detailed the abduction of Pease from the homeless shelter in Bloomington in 2009, according to court records. She said Marks parked across the street and waited for Pease to exit the facility with their son. Pease screamed when she saw Marks. He punched her in the face and dragged her into the car while Sorensen took the child back into the shelter.

The initial criminal charge notes that while Sorensen was telling this story, it was disjointed with contradictory facts and the initial interview was paused.

Investigators would continue speaking with Sorensen for years.

It was alleged that Marks and Sorensen drove Pease south on Interstate 35. It’s an 11-hour drive to Clearview, and Pease screamed for help as exhaustion overcame her. Sorensen recalled her saying, “I knew it was going to come to this.”

Sorensen said they exited onto a gravel road. There was a river and casinos nearby. They eventually stopped near a shack.

Marks, whose family still had property there, dragged Pease out of the car and strangled her as she screamed, according to the court records. Eventually he dragged her to the other side of the shack and came back to the car. Sorensen said Marks admitted he killed Pease, and removed her teeth and hands so her body could not be identified.

Bloomington police followed several other leads in the case, including interviewing Ginell McDonough, another girlfriend of Marks’ who was living in Muskegon, Mich. McDonough said she dated Marks for 19 years and knew he and Sorensen had traveled to Minnesota to find Pease. Marks had told her that Pease kidnapped his son and he was going to kill her, the court records said.

During the interview, McDonough remembered that Marks had given her a CD to show his three sons when they turned 18. She went home and found the CD. Investigators played it.

Marks is seen looking directly into the camera. He notes that it’s March 7, 2009. He tells his sons he is about to go on a road trip.

Marks said he has to do something “horrible” because Pease had kidnapped the child, according to the criminal complaint. He says he is about to do something that could get him killed or sent to prison for the rest of his life. He said he does not mind either of those things happening and that his sons may one day understand his decision.

Pease was kidnapped six months later.

Last year, Bloomington police put out a $2,000 reward for any information in connection with her disappearance, saying the “department strongly feels April’s remains are in the Clearview area, and we are seeking any information from the community.”

The department also noted that several searches had already been conducted in Oklahoma, and they will continue to try and locate Pease’s remains “so she can appropriately be laid to rest and bring healing to her family and friends.”

Police said anyone with information about the case can contact detective Harms at 952-563-4689. Callers can remain anonymous.