Murder Victim's Husband Cleared, New Suspect Charged

DULUTH - The husband of a murder victim in Stoney Brook Township is no longer considered a suspect of the crime, but now a new prime suspect is charged with the murder. Bloody footprints, a knife and a bleach-stained shower is the scene police walked into when they found 31-year-old Waubunoquay Randall dead Sunday afternoon. The 21-year-old woman police found and questioned Tuesday is now the prime suspect who's facing second-degree murder. Lydia Barney is behind bars facing that second-degree murder charge in the death of Randall. The criminal complaint shows the two were together in Randall’s home the night she was murdered.The case started at about 2:00 p.m. when police responded to a medical call.At about 4:00 p.m. police were called to a fire at 4567 Twin Lakes Road, which is just a block away from the crime scene. Police say the home had recently been remodeled and nobody was living there at the time.  And inside, they found smoldering items of female clothing and material inside the oven. The report shows, "The victim died as a result of lacerations to her neck which severed her carotid artery and her jugular vein causing a fatal loss of blood." The police investigation shows authorities found bloody footprints and a knife in the sink. Police say, "It was apparent that the bathroom had been cleaned in what appeared to be an attempt to conceal evidence." Right away police arrested Randall’s husband, Shawn Randall, as a suspect. Thursday he was released. Police were searching for Barney until Tuesday evening. When they found her she was "cold, wet and admitted to spending a night in the woods."Barney admitted to breaking into the residence with the fire to eat food and make phone calls. Police say when they found Barney, she had traces of blood on her clothes, and found her shoe print matched the bloody ones surrounding the crime scene. The criminal complaint says Barney admitted to running from Randall’s home after taking Klonopin. When she left, Barney recalls the victim being just fine.The complaint says, “She was unable to provide any explanation for why her bloody footprints would be in the residence, around the body, down the stairs, near the recently cleaned bathroom, and leading to the sink where the bloody knife was recovered.” Barney is being held at the St. Louis County Jail and will make her first appearance in court Friday at 11 a.m.