Man suspected of killing his mother in Minneapolis condo arrested in Kentucky

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A man accused of killing his mother inside her Minneapolis condo in March was arrested in Kentucky on Thursday. 

The Murray Police Department said Nicholas DeRousse, 30, had a warrant for his arrest on a second-degree murder charge in the death of his 60-year-old mother Stephanie DeRousse. He was arrested in Kentucky and charged with being a Fugitive from Justice. 

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner determined Stephanie died on March 17 inside her Minneapolis condo from multiple blunt force injuries and neck compression. Her death was ruled a homicide on May 15. 

Minneapolis police said officers found Stephanie’s body while responding to a welfare check around 8 p.m. on March 17 after she had not been heard from in several days. Police said the circumstances of her death seemed suspicious, so homicide detectives and forensic specialists were called to investigate. 

The next day, March 18, police requested a search warrant and recovered several items, including a cell phone, two laptops, a tablet and a bag of suspected narcotics, according to an affidavit.  

Nicholas, who lived with his mother, attempted to use her credit cards and “other assets” after her death. His whereabouts were unknown but his last possible location before being arrested in Kentucky was Hawaii, according to court records.

The estate

Nicholas and his two brothers, Zachary DeRousee and Clayton DeRousse, were listed as heirs to their mother’s estate. 

Documents filed with probate court indicate that Stephanie had assets worth approximately $495,000, with all but $10,000 coming from the apartment itself, as well as debts of $331,840. The one-bedroom condo is currency listed for $520,000.

The documents indicate Zachary filed a petition to be appointed as the special administrator of the estate because Nicholas is the primary suspect in their mother’s murder while Clayton is being investigated for allegedly stealing valuable jewelry from her condo after her death. 

The judge granted Zachary’s request saying it was “necessary to protect the estate assets from further criminal activity, as well as there being a need for law enforcement to work with a person who has authority to manage the assets of the decedent’s estate.” 

Nicholas remains in custody at a Kentucky county jail as of Sunday afternoon.