Two suspects approached a Minneapolis home in late April, with one firing two shots through a window and killing a man in the living room before both fled in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Maurice Antonio Verser Jr., of Minneapolis, faces a charge of aiding and abetting 2nd-degree murder with intent, not premeditated, according to a complaint filed Wednesday, July 15, in Hennepin County District Court.
Officers responded to a report of a shooting at a residence on Bryant Avenue North at 8:46 p.m. on April 29, 2026, after a ShotSpotter activation in the area. They found the victim, an adult male, dead from a gunshot wound to the head. A single discharged cartridge casing was found near the victim’s body.
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Surveillance video from a neighbor’s home captured two suspects approaching from 48th Avenue North. One suspect walked up to a window near the front of the residence while the other remained out front. The video showed the suspect at the window firing two shots at the victim before both suspects ran to a waiting black Jeep Grand Cherokee and got into the rear passenger seats.
Additional footage showed the Grand Cherokee circling the block and driving down the alley behind the residence before the shooting. Investigators noted the Jeep was missing chrome door trim on the driver’s side and identified the license plate as Minnesota the victim 980, registered to Verser.
Investigators seized and processed Verser’s vehicle on May 4, 2026. Surveillance footage from a gas station Verser frequented on April 28 and 29 showed him exiting the driver’s seat. Cell phone tower data placed Verser’s phone in the area of individuals suspected of involvement in the murder on the night of the shooting. His phone disconnected at 8:13 p.m. and did not reconnect until 9:06 p.m., when it was detected near an address associated with other potential suspects.
Investigators also accessed an Apple iCloud account linked to a potential suspect and recovered text messages in which Verser told others his vehicle had been seized and impounded. During the investigation, Verser’s sister called a family member who was incarcerated and said Verser was involved in something with two potential murder suspects. She also sent a screenshot of the April 29 homicide.
In a post-Miranda interview, Verser admitted driving his vehicle on April 29 and stopping at addresses associated with potential suspects. He said those suspects got into his vehicle but claimed he could not remember anything that happened during the time of the murder, recalling only a stop at the gas station. Verser also stated he is the only person who drives his vehicle.
A court date has not yet been set.
About This Charge
In Minnesota, homicide charges fall under three degrees: § 609.185 (first-degree murder), § 609.19 (second-degree murder) and § 609.195 (third-degree murder). First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence; second-degree convictions are presumptive 12 to 40 years; third-degree up to 25 years. The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission publishes guideline ranges that judges follow except where specific aggravating or mitigating factors are on the record.
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Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
