Attorney General’s Office and Wabasha County Attorney’s Office secure conviction for second degree intentional murder

Craig Alan Hameister pleads guilty to shooting and killing Melissa Hunt at Kellogg boat launch

March 3, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Today, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office has secured the conviction of Craig Alan Hameister for second degree intentional murder following the June 18, 2025, shooting death of Melissa Hunt in Wabasha County.

On June 18, 2025, Hameister shot and killed Melissa Hunt at a boat launch in Kellogg, Minnesota. At the plea hearing, Hameister stated: “I shot Melissa Hunt in the face.” Hameister admitted that he caused the victim’s death by shooting her with a handgun and that he acted with the intent to kill her.

Attorney General Ellison’s office prosecuted Hameister upon a referral from Wabasha County Attorney Matthew Stinson under Minnesota Statutes section 8.01, which provides, “Upon request of the county attorney, the attorney general shall appear in court in such criminal cases as the attorney general deems proper.” The authority vested in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office is primarily civil.  Aside from referrals submitted under section 8.01 and Medicaid fraud, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office does not have prosecuting authority over most criminal acts. That authority generally rests with city and county attorneys.

“Melissa was a kind and caring woman whose smile could light up any room she walked into, and my heart goes out to her friends, family, and loved ones for their loss,” said Attorney General Ellison. “Crimes like this shock one’s conscious, and they demand justice. Today’s guilty plea ensures that Craig Hameister will be held accountable for taking Melissa’s life. My office and I will continue working with county attorneys and law enforcement across our state to deliver justice to those who break the law and harm their fellow Minnesotans. And I will be keeping Melissa’s loved ones in my prayers. I hope today’s guilty plea delivers some measure of solace to them in their grief.”

Attorney General Ellison thanks the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, who assisted in the investigation and successful prosecution of this crime.