In the early evening of June 19, 2023, the quiet of a North St. Paul apartment building was shattered by a single gunshot, leading to the discovery of 24-year-old Anthony R. Rojas, a White/Caucasian male, deceased inside his residence. Police responded to a report of a disturbance involving a weapon around 6 p.m. at an apartment on the 2100 block of McKnight Road North. Upon arrival, they found Rojas with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner later officially ruled his death a homicide.
The scene within Rojas's apartment painted a picture of his activities and the likely motive for his murder. Investigators discovered two gun safes that were both open and empty, a 3D printer, a money counter, and various boxes of ammunition and rifle magazines. It's believed that Rojas was utilizing the 3D printer to manufacture parts for untraceable firearms, often referred to as "ghost guns". Adding to the suspicion of a robbery-motivated crime, authorities learned that approximately 12 hours before his death, Rojas had posted a photograph on social media displaying thousands of dollars in cash on a couch in his apartment; this money was not found at the scene.
Witnesses at the apartment complex reported seeing a group of people, including Rojas's girlfriend, 19-year-old La Vida Rose Martinez, socializing with him earlier that day. An argument was heard shortly before the gunshot, after which multiple individuals were seen fleeing the apartment carrying large bags. A crucial break in the case came roughly ten minutes later when a 911 call reported that a juvenile had dropped two bags containing firearms nearby. Police recovered these bags and found 15 Glock 9mm handguns, an AR-style pistol, and magazines. One of the firearms had what appeared to be blood on the grip.
The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of six individuals. La Vida Rose Martinez, 19-year-old Steven Lawrence Terry, and 19-year-old Octavion Rayshawn Jones were all charged with second-degree murder. Steven Terry's mother, 36-year-old Kimberly Nicole Terry, faced a charge of possession of a firearm without a serial number. In addition to the adult suspects, two male juveniles, aged 16 and 17, were also arrested in connection with the incident. The investigation pointed towards a targeted attack, with a confidential informant telling police that the initial plan was to rob Rojas, but the situation escalated to a fatal shooting.
