Minneapolis, MN
Homeowners uncover trove of long-lost love letters during renovation project
MINNEAPOLIS — Ahead of Valentine’s Day comes a love story for the ages. It was lost for decades but unearthed when a young couple decided to give their Minneapolis home a facelift.
“To us, it’s kind of cool to see a little bit of the past,” said homeowner Matt Tessmer.
There’s a saying that, if the walls could talk, they would have many interesting stories to tell. For Matt and Carrie Tessmer, those walls with words to share could be found upstairs.
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“It’s truly a mystery how any of this stuff made it into our wall,” Carrie Tessmer laughed.
It all started back in November 2020 when they decided to renovate their relic of a restroom inside their more than a century-old home. It was that process of peeling back layers and layers of paint and plaster just behind the toilet that revealed treasures from lifetimes before.
“Take some rubble, put it to the side and there’d be more stuff after,” said Matt Tessmer. “It is trash to those people, but to us it’s kind of cool to see a little bit of the past.”
Inside were numerous toiletries once manufactured down the street.
“There were a lot of Minneapolis brands in here,” said Carrie Tessmer. “Some of the medicine they used, all the razor blades [and] rose water and glycerin.”
There was even makeup and an old bottle of shoe polish. But perhaps the most interesting find hidden in their bathroom wall had nothing to do with the bathroom at all.
“I’m like, ‘Am I reading this correctly?’” Carrie Tessmer questioned.
They found love letters from not only one, but two budding romances — to Hazel and Pauline.
“Oh my God,” Carrie Tessmer said. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to think.”
Each note made the same request asking both Hazel and Pauline to a dance while declaring their undying devotion.
“‘I hope you still love me. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX,’” Carrie Tessmer read from the note.
The letters were then signed with affection from someone named “John B.,” who also went by the name “Lolly.”
“We have zero clue who this John B., this ‘Lolly’ person is,” Carrie Tessmer said.
Neither note was dated, so perhaps they were written at different times or perhaps written by a young Casanova pining for attention.
“Upon reading some of them we realized it was actually probably more likely a kid like between the ages of 13 – 18,” said Carrie Tessmer. “They were talking about first lunch, ‘I have study hall this period.’”
Lessons of love learned at a young age that maybe were never meant to go beyond the bathroom’s four walls, but are now sparking the need to know more.
“I would love to know the story behind it and also why the letters did not get delivered and why they ended up in our bathroom wall,” said Carrie Tessmer.
After some research, the Tessmers found a John Pavlo who would have matched the original deed to their home. He and his family lived in their house from the 1920s through the 1950s. He also had a son named John.
“John Joseph Pavlo would have been about 17 at the time when he lived in this house with his family,” said Carrie Tessmer.
There was also John Book, who was born in the 1930s. He bought the house decades later as an adult. The Tessmers also found some of his old homework in their attic.
“It’s even more of a mystery because we don’t know if it was written by John Pavlo as a 17-year-old in the ’20s, or if it was written by John Book when he was a kid and he just threw it in the walls when he bought the house in the ’60s,” Carrie Tessmer said.
It’s a story in which the ending has yet to be written, or is maybe just still waiting to be uncovered.
“Whatever project we have next I’m sure we’ll find something,” the Tessmer laughed.
The Tessmers said they’re still not giving up trying to figure out who “John B.” is. They also added that, before they closed up their bathroom wall during their renovations, they put a picture of themselves with a note about who they are for future homeowners to find.
A man is now charged with murder after prosecutors say a robbery inside a Minneapolis apartment building ended in a fatal shooting.
Prosecutors say the man was on conditional release after being charged with first-degree armed carjacking for an incident in Minneapolis last September.
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The killing happened Feb. 24 inside the Abbott Apartments lounge area on the 100 block of East 18th Street, where police found an adult man dead from gunshot wounds after reports of a shooting.
Court documents state the victim and a friend went to the building to meet 20-year-old Abdirahman Khayre Khayre. A witness stated Khayre left the room several times and appeared to be stalling before three armed men entered and demanded property. The men were described as carrying two Glock-style handguns with extended magazines and an AR-style rifle. During the robbery, the suspects demanded a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to the victim. When the victim resisted, a struggle broke out. The witness stated that two guns were taken from him during the robbery.
The witness told investigators Khayre was handed one of the stolen guns and then pointed it at him, causing him to flee into the lobby. Moments later, multiple gunshots were heard. The witness returned and found the victim shot. Surveillance footage from other areas of the building reportedly corroborated key parts of the account, and the witness later identified Khayre in a photo lineup, according to the complaint.
PREVIOUSLY: Man Shot and Killed Inside Minneapolis Apartment Building
Authorities say Khayre was on conditional release at the time of the killing in a separate Hennepin County case involving a September 2025 armed carjacking.
READ MORE > Minneapolis coverage
In that earlier case, prosecutors alleged Khayre and others confronted a woman in a garage near 19th Street and Nicollet Avenue, pointed handguns at her and forced her to give up the keys to a Dodge Challenger before fleeing in the stolen vehicle. Officers later located the vehicle and arrested multiple suspects, including Khayre, who was identified as the driver.
Court records show Khayre posted a $75,000 non-cash bond and was released under conditions requiring him to remain law-abiding, have no possession of firearms or ammunition, avoid alcohol and controlled substances and complete treatment.
Khayre is now charged with second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony and first-degree aggravated robbery. He made an initial court appearance Friday, where a judge set bail at $1 million. If convicted of second-degree felony murder, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
The homicide investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim. Anyone with information is asked to contact Minneapolis police by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online. Information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.
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Minneapolis, MN
Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say
Minneapolis police are investigating a homicide on Feb. 24, 2026. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A man is dead after a witness said he refused to give up a Louis Vuitton bag while being robbed by multiple men at gunpoint.
Abdirahman Khayre Khayre, 20, is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery for the incident that happened on the evening of Feb. 24 in Minneapolis.
READ MORE: Man fatally shot in south Minneapolis apartment building
Fatal Minneapolis shooting after robbery
The set-up:
Minneapolis police responded around 10:42 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Abbott Apartments, located on the 100 block of East 18th Street in the Stevens Square neighborhood of Minneapolis.
Officers then found a dead man in the lobby who had been shot multiple times.
A witness to the shooting said he and the victim arrived at the apartments to “hang out” with Khayre, according to the criminal complaint.
The witness said he became suspicious when Khayre he left the room multiple times and “appeared to be stalling.”
The robbery:
The complaint states the witness reported three men then came into the room and yelled “Give me everything.” The men were armed with Glock handguns that had extended magazines as well as an AR-style rifle.
They then stole two guns from the witness, and one of them was handed to Khayre.
When the men demanded a Louis Vuitton bag from the victim, he refused, leading to a fight between them all.
The shooting:
The witness said when he walked toward them, Khayre pointed the witness’ stolen gun at him and racked it.
The witness then got out of the room, ran toward the lobby and heard multiple gunshots. He then saw two of the men flee out the back of the building, but didn’t see what direction they went in.
The victim was then found dead.
The aftermath:
Khayre was then identified by the witness in a photo lineup, according to the criminal complaint.
Police say video footage corroborated much of what the witness reported.
Khayre was on conditional release for a suspected carjacking at the time of the shooting, according to the complaint.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County and previous FOX 9 reporting.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The local Iranian community in Minnesota is expressing mixed emotions following the recent joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran.
Local reactions to the strike
What we know:
The strike resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to President Donald Trump and Iranian state media. Many Iranians in Minnesota feel this could lead to freedom for their country.
Nazanin Naferipoor shared that her sister in Iran was initially happy about the strike, believing it might bring about freedom. However, communication has been cut off since the strike began, leaving many worried about their loved ones.
The other side:
Hamid Kashani from the Minnesota Committee in Support of a Democratic Iran expressed mixed feelings about the strike. While he hopes for change, he is concerned about the potential loss of innocent lives.
Fazy Kowsari emphasized that the attack targeted the government, not the religion, and criticized the political motivations behind the strike.
Upcoming rally at Nicollet Mall
Why you should care:
A rally is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at Nicollet Mall and 11th Street. Organizers view the U.S. strike as a rescue operation for Iranians held hostage by the regime, rather than an act of war.
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