On a Saturday evening in Saint Paul, Minnesota, a gathering meant to celebrate a life ended in the tragic loss of two more. On February 25, 2023, Troy Kennedy, a 37-year-old Black male, was shot and killed in the Frogtown neighborhood. The violence erupted in the parking lot of the Kings Crossing by Episcopal Homes, a senior apartment complex, following a memorial service held in the community room. As the event wound down around 5:15 p.m., an altercation broke out amongst some of the attendees who had moved outside.
In the ensuing chaos, gunfire erupted, leaving a scene of devastation. When police arrived, they discovered five people had been shot. Troy Kennedy was one of two fatalities that evening; the other was 34-year-old Larry Jiles Jr., a well-known local chef who was catering the event. Kennedy died from blood loss as a result of his injuries. Three other people, including two women and one man, sustained injuries but survived. One of the men was left in critical condition.
The investigation into the double homicide led police to 52-year-old John Lee Edmonson of St. Louis Park, who was identified as Kennedy's cousin. According to witness statements, the argument in the parking lot may have been about someone "working with the police and snitching." Witnesses reported that Edmonson arrived in an SUV, approached Jiles, put an arm around him, and then shot him multiple times at point-blank range. He then allegedly fired indiscriminately into the crowd from his hip, striking Kennedy and the other three victims before fleeing the scene. Edmonson was arrested on March 2, 2023, at a hotel in Bloomington.
John Lee Edmonson was charged with multiple counts of murder. In April 2025, a jury reached a verdict, convicting Edmonson of second-degree murder for the death of Larry Jiles Jr. and for illegal possession of a firearm. However, the jury acquitted him of the murder charges related to the death of his cousin, Troy Kennedy. Subsequently, Edmonson was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the killing of Jiles.
