On November 14, 2023, Minneapolis police officers responded to a 911 caller who reported hearing multiple gun shots in the 3700 block of Newton Avenue North in the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The caller indicated that after hearing shots they watched as two black males ran from a residence at 37XX Newton. Shortly thereafter, the caller heard a vehicle speed away from the alley. The caller also saw someone run through the alley. The caller thought it was unusual for anyone to be at the residence as it had been unoccupied for some time.
Police responded to 37XX Newton and entered the home through the open front door. The home was tidy and in good condition, but vacant, with no furniture or personal belongings inside. Upstairs, officers entered a bedroom and located a known adult male, hereinafter VICTIM, lying on the floor with apparent gunshot wounds. He was deceased. A firearm was located on VICTIM’s person. In the same room, officers observed a small closet with the door half-ajar, several discharged cartridge casings scattered throughout the room, bullet defects to the floor and wall near where VICTIM lay, and a distinctive green camouflage and orange sweatshirt in the corner of the room.
Burnt marijuana cigarettes were also found in the room. VICTIM’s car was parked outside in front of the house. VICTIM’s body was transported to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office where an autopsy revealed he suffered eight gunshot wounds which caused his death. He was shot in the head, neck, shoulder, arm and back. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. The identity of the individuals who fled the home where VICTIM [NAME REDACTED] initially unknown. Investigators began retracing VICTIM’s movements and communications leading up to his death and tracked down leads as to the whereabouts of the potential suspects.
Investigators interviewed scores of witnesses, collected and tested evidence from the scene, obtained video from multiple sources on the Northside and throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, and applied for and executed numerous warrants in an effort to identify those responsible for VICTIM’s death. The investigation spanned over two years. The evidence obtained as a result of the investigation reveals the following: On the night of his death, VICTIM was communicating via Facebook Messenger with a known adult, ACCOMPLICE 1. ACCOMPLICE 1 and VICTIM [NAME REDACTED] at [ADDRESS REDACTED]. N. Where ACCOMPLICE 1 planned to purchase marijuana from VICTIM. A series of messages between VICTIM and ACCOMPLICE 1 reveal that ACCOMPLICE 1 provided the Newton address as the location to meet.
ACCOMPLICE 1 also set the time to meet. ACCOMPLICE 1 was familiar with the Newton residence because it was owned by a family member of ACCOMPLICE 1’s friend, DERRICK TAYLOR, CO-DEFENDANT TAYLOR herein. The property owner told police that the property was being prepared as a rental property at the time of the crime which is why it was clean and empty. On November 14, 2023, the CO-DEFENDANT TAYLOR, ACCOMPLICE 1 and a mutual adult friend, ACCOMPLICE 2, planned to set VICTIM up for a robbery. They believed VICTIM [NAME REDACTED] was likely to have large amounts of marijuana, cash, or both.
