Virginia homicide suspect accused of assaulting same victim in September

Tom Olsen, Duluth News Tribune, Minn.
·3 min read

May 18—A Virginia man charged Friday with fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend was set to enter a plea Monday in an earlier domestic violence case involving the same woman, according to court records.

Derek Edward Malevich, 40, was charged in September with shoving, punching and strangling Kristen Ann Bicking, who was found dead inside Malevich's apartment last Wednesday.

According to a criminal complaint filed in that case, Bicking called police just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 15 to report that Malevich had assaulted her inside his apartment at 104 Fifth St. S.

The victim met with a Virginia police officer at another location, as she was worried about returning home for fear that Malevich might be looking for her. Bicking told the officer that she and Malevich had been in an off-and-on relationship for about seven months and that they had broken up four days earlier, according to the complaint.

The victim said she went to retrieve money Malevich owed her and that he accused her of cheating on him, shoved her into a wall and punched her in the head three times with a closed fist. Bicking told the officer she went to the ground, and Malevich got on top of her; she tried to scream but the defendant placed his arms around her neck and choked her for approximately 15 seconds.

According to the complaint, Bicking said she was unable to breathe, and Malevich yelled that he was going to kill her. He let go of her neck but would not allow her to leave the apartment for about an hour.

Police said Bicking had injuries consistent with her statement, including a bump on her forehead larger than a golf ball, blood on her face and clothes, and marks around her neck.

A warrant was issued for Malevich's arrest on felony and misdemeanor domestic assault charges as he was no longer present at the scene. He was later taken into custody and made a first appearance in State District Court on Oct. 2.

Malevich was subsequently released under pretrial supervision and was set to appear for a plea hearing Monday. That was continued until July 19, when he will also appear again on an intentional second-degree murder charge.

Authorities said Malevich called 911 at 2:19 a.m. last Wednesday to request an ambulance. He allegedly told a dispatcher that he had returned home, found a person stealing from him, "bashed the person's head in and stabbed them," and then discovered it was his ex-girlfriend.

Several officers responded and found Bicking, 32, on a couch in the living room with multiple apparent stab wounds to her face and neck. She was transported to Essentia Health-Virginia, where she was pronounced dead.

Malevich was arrested as he left the Quality Inn & Suites in Virginia later that day. In a statement, he allegedly claimed two people had attacked him in his dark kitchen. He said one fled as he grabbed a knife and fought back, stabbing Bicking in the process.

But police said his account was inconsistent with physical evidence recovered at the scene. According to the complaint, he did not have any physical injuries and, outside of a single apparent droplet in the kitchen, all blood found on scene was contained to the area of the couch.

Malevich is being held in the St. Louis County Jail on $1 million bail.

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