Left Behind Blood Leads Police to Alleged Car Thief

A smattering of blood on the frame of a broken car window gave an alleged car thief away, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Dakota County Attorney’s office.

Toma Wyman Blair, who has no listed address, was charged with one felony count of theft and one felony count of criminal damage to property for his alleged role in a car theft that occurred in Inver Grove Heights last summer.

According to the complaint, a homeowner on 52^nd Street in Inver Grove Heights woke up on the morning of June 16, 2010 to find a damaged Chevrolet Tahoe parked in her driveway. All of the vehicle’s tires were missing, as was the vehicle’s stereo. The truck’s steering column and the front passenger side window were broken. The total damage to the vehicle was estimated to be in excess of $1,000.

Police contacted the vehicle's registered owner and brought her to the scene. The owner told officers that she had left the Tahoe parked outside her apartment, and had not given anyone permission to use it.

While they were processing the scene, officers noticed a reddish substance that appeared to be blood on the frame of the broken window. A sample was sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s laboratory. Though the lab couldn’t immediately find a DNA profile matching the blood, Inver Grove Heights police were notified on Dec. 21 that the blood matched a DNA profile for Blair that was submitted later that year.

Police questioned Blair, who denied any involvement in the car theft, but could not offer any explanation for the presence of his blood on the crime scene.

Blair posted a $35,000 bail and was released from Dakota County Jail on Aug. 9.  Blair, 34, has an extensive criminal history that includes multiple convictions for fleeing a peace officer, a conviction for possession of a small amount of marijuana, disorderly conduct, attempted theft of a motor vehicle and assault.

To view the criminal complaint, click on the PDF file attached to this article.