Minneapolis Man Charged in Fatal Shooting of Former Girlfriend

Sep 18

A Minneapolis man has been charged in connection with the shooting death of his former girlfriend on Sunday evening in north Minneapolis.

Prosecutors say 50-year-old David Eugene Wright is accused of killing Mariah Samuels near her vehicle on Sept. 14.

> Sign up for the MN CRIME newsletter

He faces one count of second-degree intentional murder and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to the complaint, police were dispatched to the 1400 block of Russell Avenue North after multiple 911 calls and a ShotSpotter alert reported gunfire. Officers arrived to find Samuels near the open driver’s side door of a Jeep Compass. She had multiple gunshot wounds to her torso and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered 15 shell casings near the Jeep.

Samuels was the protected party in an active Order for Protection against Wright, which had been granted just over two weeks earlier. In her petition, she wrote that she had ended their relationship in late August and that Wright had threatened her with a gun, struck her, and attempted to choke her. She expressed fear for her safety, and the court issued the protective order on Aug. 27.

Witnesses told police they heard two bursts of gunfire separated by screaming. One man said he saw a person with dreadlocks shoot the victim at close range, attempt to pull her from the vehicle, and then flee on a bicycle while carrying a gun. Another neighbor reported hearing ten shots and later saw the suspect manipulating something in his hand, which appeared to be a firearm.

READ MORE > Minneapolis coverage

Surveillance footage provided by residents showed a man on a bicycle in the area. Police compared the footage with Wright’s driver’s license photo and concluded they matched. Wright was arrested the following day in Anoka. During an interview at the Hennepin County Jail, police say Wright admitted knowing the victim and told officers, “I’m not going to fight this situation,” adding, “This is not going to be a hard-fought case.” He also suggested officers review his text exchanges with the victim to “understand why he did this.”

Family members told investigators Samuels had recently reported Wright contacting her in violation of the protective order, sending her messages expressing jealousy over her being with another man. Police also obtained video from August showing Wright assaulting her.

Wright has a prior felony drug conviction from 2006, making it illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition. He is also on federal probation. Bail has been set at $1 million, and he remains in custody.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Wright faces up to 40 years in prison. The firearm possession charge carries a maximum penalty of nearly one year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

> See more of our latest coverage