Killed by her first love? 'Clingy' teen boyfriend who publicly mourned girlfriend, 16, 'stabbed her to death to stop her leaving'
- Anthony J Mitchell, 17, will appear in court tomorrow charged with the murder of Anna Hurd, 16, in St Paul, Minnesota on February 23
- The pair, who had dated for just under a year, were described as 'inseparable' but he was becoming 'controlling and clingy'
- Following her death he joined her family in mourning and was interviewed weeping over her loss
- Police claim he stabbed her to death because he was angry she was moving to live with her mother in Texas and he had been excluded from the trip
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A 17-year-old 'clingy and controlling' boyfriend has been charged with murdering his young girlfriend and first love after she planned to move away without him.
Minnesota prosecutors yesterday filed second-degree murder charges against Anthony J. Mitchell after his 16-year-old girlfriend, Anna Hurd, was found stabbed to death on a trail near her St Paul home on February 23.
It is alleged jealous Mitchell was angry that Anna was due to move from her father's home in Maplewood to live with her mother in Texas.
Murdered by her first love? Anthony J Mitchell, 17 has been charged with the murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend Anna Hurd
On camera: Andrew J Mitchell, pictured, was interviewed the day after his girlfriend's murder saying he 'hoped police would catch the guy'. He now faces charges
The charges come after Mitchell was interviewed speaking of his grief at the death of the teenager.
Anna Hurd's family have spoken of their sense of betrayal at the allegations against the boy they took into their homes and who comforted them at the 16-year-old's memorial service.
Anna's mother, Jennifer Hutchings of Vernon, Texas, told the Star Tribune: 'I thought it was him, but I didn’t want to believe it because Anna loved him, trusted him. We trusted him.'
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ShareHer father Patrick Hurd told TwinCities.com: 'I'm relieved that they've got a suspect. I'm sad that it's him.'
'It was first-time love, I guess,' he said of their relationship. 'They were young; it was the first time they ever fell in love. They were inseparable. ... I feel really bad for his mother. I know she loved my daughter like she loved her own.'
The night before her death she had called Hutchings and spoke about plans for her to share a room with her 15-year-old sister Nikki in Texas.
'Nikki was so excited and had everything ready. Anna wanted chicken-fried steak that night,' Hutchings said.
'She said, ‘Mom, I love you.’ she was excited to be coming home.'
'I knew something happened to her,' she said on realizing her daughter hadn't texted as planned, later that night. 'I could just feel it in my heart.'
First love: Prosecutors allege Andrew J Mitchell brutally murdered Anna Hurd, pictured together, as he didn't want her to leave him to live in Texas
Comforted: Andrew J Mitchell was comforted by family and friends following the murder of girlfriend Anna Hurd, pictured. He is now accused of stabbing her to death himself
Mitchell sat next to Anna's mother at her memorial service and was comforted by her family as he cried over her murder.
He was also interviewed by Fox News leaving a tribute at the spot her body was found.
'I hope they find him,' he told the broadcaster.
However, police now allege he was the murderer after all.
He was the person who discovered Anna's body and police claim his story changed several times in the course of describing the day's events.
He returned to his family home on February 22 saying Anna had left for a friend's house.
He later went out again in the early hours of February 23 and this time returned to say he had found her dead.
His mother called 911 and the recording picked up a voice in the background saying: 'I didn't do it.
He had blood on his hands which he claimed was because he had tried to give her CPR.
Later Mitchell led police to her body 15 feet from a path in Hillside Park. She had been stabbed multiple times.
Anna's friends say he was a jealous, controlling boyfriend who had tried to commit suicide when she had previously tried to break up with him.
New life: Anna Hurd, pictured, was planning to move in with her mother in Texas. Friends say she was planning to break up with teen boyfriend Andrew Mitchell, who is accused of her murder
One source told police he had injured one of her pet kittens in a previous argument and had allegedly shown off a new knife at a party the night before she was found.
Another said Anna was planning to break up with him that night.
She was moving to Texas to live with her mother and stepfather after spending a year with her father and grandmother.
She was initially going to move there with Mitchell but the plan was cancelled.
Hurd's mother then bought a bus ticket just for her daughter. She was due to leave the morning she was found dead.
'This tragic case brings so much pain to the victim’s family as well as the community at large,' said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. 'Our hearts go out to those who survive her.'
'We see these situations a lot in the domestic abuse contexts where you where someone is wanting to break off the relationship in a substantial way,' he added.
Mitchell is accused of second-degree murder and is due to appear at juvenile court tomorrow.
He is being held at the Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Center and prosecutors are seeking to have him certified to stand trial as an adult.
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