Woman stabbed in the eyes, now blind

A St. Paul man was charged Monday with murder in the weekend fatal stabbing of an Albert Lea man at an apartment in St. Paul.

Charges filed Monday by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office allege Pah Ber, 48, stabbed the man — identified as Po Lye, 40 — after accusing him of cheating with his wife. After stabbing Lye, Ber turned on his wife, Paw Pree, 40, of St. Paul, according to the court documents.

Lye suffered “a very deep and wide laceration” to his neck, along with stab wounds to his stomach and chest, according to court documents. He died at the scene.

Pree was critically injured after reportedly being stabbed numerous times, including several times in both eyes, and is being treated at Regions Hospital. Hospital staff said she is now blind.

Ber faces one count of second-degree murder in the death of Lye, and one count of second-degree attempted murder for the alleged attack on his wife.

The incident happened sometime after 6 a.m. Saturday at an apartment at 1437 Farrington St., where Ber and Pree lived with their five children. Ber reportedly came home from drinking and playing cards and saw Lye sleeping on the living room couch, court documents state.

Ber’s 21-year-old son told police Lye was his friend and he had asked to stay overnight.

However, Ber, who had been teased by Burmese refugees that his wife was cheating, told police he believed Lye had been sleeping with his wife.

Ber reportedly asked Lye if he was going to take his wife. Lye denied wanting to do so, stating he just wanted to get some rest and would then leave.

Ber then became mad and allegedly began stabbing him.

The son reportedly tried to stop Ber, but Ber threatened to kill the son. The son ran to his sister’s bedroom and told her to call 911. They later fled to a neighbor’s apartment.

When asked how many times he stabbed Lye, Ber reportedly told police he had stabbed him “all over” using an 8-inch-long knife.

After allegedly chasing Lye around the apartment and stabbing him, Ber reportedly broke down a bedroom door and started stabbing Pree, who had fled to the room for safety. A daughter was reportedly in the bed with Pree when she was stabbed.

During an interview with police, Pree said she heard Ber in the kitchen sharpening a knife after he stabbed her. At that point, Ber reportedly told her he was going to cut her throat, and she told one of her children they needed to leave. The boy grabbed Pree’s hand and led her out of the apartment.

Police responded at about 7 a.m.

Upon arrival, a witness yelled, “He killed him, there is a body in there,” pointing to the window of the apartment.

Officers walked in that direction and allegedly found Ber walking down the stairs from the apartment with his hands coated in blood.

He reportedly told police “it is better” Lye is dead because now no one will tease him.

During a search, officers found a large knife and a knife sharpener in the kitchen.

Ber is being held on $1 million bail.

The Saint Paul Police Department and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s office are asking for the public’s help in locating Lye’s relatives. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 651-266-5650, or the medical examiner at 651-266-1700.