A Minneapolis man shot and killed another man through the window of a stolen SUV after a late-night argument near a north Minneapolis intersection, prosecutors say.
Chrisean Marcelous Criddell, 29, faces two counts of 2nd-degree murder, one for intentional killing and one for drive-by shooting, according to charges filed Wednesday, July 22 in Hennepin County District Court.
According to the complaint, officers responded at about 1:16 a.m. on April 2 to the area of 31st Avenue North and North 4th Street, where they found the victim, an adult male, lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Officers attempted CPR until EMS arrived, but the victim died at the hospital. At the scene, police found a single 9mm cartridge casing and a gold Chevy Tahoe, later determined to be stolen, containing the victim’s belongings.
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Witnesses told officers they heard a single gunshot followed by a man crying for help. One witness saw an SUV slowly drive away from the scene before abruptly speeding off. Another witness reported that, seconds before the shooting, an unknown man approached their vehicle and said, “Oh, you are not my friend.” Surveillance footage captured a white SUV, also determined to be a stolen Chevy Tahoe, driving toward the scene and slowing down.
About 20 seconds after the SUV went off camera, a horn honk was heard, followed by a gunshot and screaming less than a minute later.
Investigators reviewed the victim’s cell phone and found a Facebook conversation with an account belonging to Criddell. Just before the shooting, the two discussed Criddell picking up the victim. The messages grew tense, with Criddell writing, “I’m done talking, I said what I said,” and the victim responding, “Run [n-word] or put them hands up.”
Court records state that investigators suspected Criddell and the victim were involved in an auto theft ring. Criddell was arrested by the Hennepin County Auto Theft Task Force on June 1. During a post-Miranda interview, he admitted agreeing to help the victim get gas but denied any argument. He acknowledged the Facebook account but claimed he was messaging from a laptop, not a phone.
On July 21, investigators interviewed a woman who was with Criddell at the time of the shooting. She said she was riding with him in the white Tahoe as he looked for the victim. As they neared the location, Criddell honked the horn. The victim got out of his vehicle, greeted her and began arguing with Criddell. She said Criddell, still seated in the SUV, pulled out a black handgun and shot the victim through the driver’s window.
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.
