In Saint Paul, Minnesota, a 41-year-old White/Caucasian woman named Caitlin Kelley Aldridge, known to her loved ones as Casey, tragically lost her life on September 28, 2021. A dedicated and deeply kind individual, Caitlin was a beloved mother, wife, and community leader who had spent much of her career at the YWCA of Minneapolis, committed to strengthening the community and working to eliminate oppression through youth programs.
Her sudden death sent ripples of shock and grief through her family, friends, and all who knew her.
The circumstances of her death unfolded in the early morning hours. Her husband, Johnny Ray Aldridge, then 46, drove to the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center shortly after 3 a.m. and called 911 to report that he had shot his wife at their home on Winnipeg Avenue West. Officers were dispatched to the residence, where they discovered Caitlin deceased in her bed from a gunshot wound to the head. At the same time, other officers took Johnny Aldridge into custody without incident at the law enforcement center. A handgun was recovered from his vehicle.
Subsequent investigation revealed a troubled domestic situation. According to the criminal complaint, Johnny Aldridge's 13-year-old daughter, who was in the home at the time of the shooting but did not witness it, told investigators that her father had been suffering from PTSD since being shot in the hand earlier that year in June. She stated that he hadn't been himself since the incident, had been carrying a gun out of fear, and had been fighting with his wife over small matters. Johnny Aldridge later admitted to police that he and his wife were arguing when he shot her in the back of the head with a gun he kept under his pillow.
Johnny Ray Aldridge was arrested and charged with second-degree intentional murder. In April 2024, he pleaded guilty to the charge. Subsequently, he was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for the murder of his wife, receiving credit for the time he had already served in jail. The tragic event marked the 30th homicide in Saint Paul for the year 2021.
