Niece Charged With Killing Aunt in West St. Paul

HASTINGS, Minn. (AP) _ A West St. Paul woman is charged will killing her aunt
who prosecutors say threatened to expose her illegal drug use.

Dakota County prosecutors say 40-year-old Divina Marie Sulentich strangled
60-year-old Mary Susan Sulentich July 8 or July 9 in West St. Paul. A criminal
complaint says Sulentich was found dead in her apartment July 12 by someone sent
to check on her. That person told police the niece had been staying with her
aunt since April to help her following knee surgery.

The complaint says the two women struggled when the victim threatened to tell
others about the niece's illegal drug purchases. Prosecutors say the niece told
police she squeezed her aunt's neck until she went limp and later left in her
car.

Divina Sulentich has been charged with second-degree murder.