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Woman accused of stabbing her partner to death at their Daytona Beach apartment

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A 24-year-old woman was arrested Thursday in connection with the stabbing death of a 23-year-old woman, the Daytona Beach Police Department said.

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Police said they were called shortly before 1:15 a.m. Thursday to the Wawa convenience store at Mason Avenue and North Nova Road after Jasmine K. Baker called 911 to report a battery that had happened earlier.

Investigators said they met up with Baker at the Wawa, where she told them that she and her live-in domestic partner, Kristen C. Phillips, had been involved in an altercation at about 8 p.m. Wednesday at their apartment.

Baker told police that during the altercation, she used a knife to defend herself from Phillips’ attacks.

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Investigators said that other officers then visited The Park at Via Corso apartments on East Sutton Circle, where they discovered Phillips lying face down in her apartment.

Phillips was pronounced dead shortly after 1:45 a.m., and Baker was detained and interviewed by detectives.

Daytona Beach police Chief Jakari Young said during a news conference Thursday afternoon that the couple got into an argument over text messages that had been sent and that Baker stabbed Phillips multiple times, indicating that it was not a case of self-defense.

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Young said Baker killed Phillips at about 9 p.m. and then contacted friends and relatives, who convinced her to call police to “tell her side of the story.”

He said Baker had no prior criminal history.

She was arrested on charges of second-degree murder and booked into the Volusia County Jail, where she is being held without bail.

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Anyone with information about the death is asked call Daytona Beach police at 368-671-5202.

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Jason Kelly

Jason Kelly, WFTV.com

Jason Kelly joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2014. He serves as the station's Digital Executive Producer.