Douglas C. Lewis, a 39-year-old father of four from Saint Paul, MN, tragically lost his life on May 1, 2020, following a minor traffic accident that escalated into a fatal shooting. The incident occurred in the 1300 block of Burns Avenue in Saint Paul. Lewis was shot multiple times after a fender bender led to a heated argument between him and the other driver.
The suspect, Anthony Trifiletti, a 25-year-old man from Watertown, MN, was involved in the altercation with Lewis.
According to reports, Trifiletti's truck was bumped from behind by Lewis' vehicle on Highway 61. The two men pulled over to discuss the accident, but the conversation quickly became confrontational. Trifiletti claimed he felt threatened when Lewis reached underneath his shirt during the argument. Believing Lewis was armed, Trifiletti, who had a permit to carry, drew his gun and fired several shots at Lewis. Witnesses stated that the two men were about 10 feet apart when the shooting occurred.
Lewis was unarmed and succumbed to his injuries during surgery at Regions Hospital later that night. Trifiletti was initially charged with second-degree murder and was found guilty in April 2021 after his first trial ended in a mistrial. He was sentenced to 12½ years in prison. However, in September 2022, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed Trifiletti's conviction, citing a violation of his Sixth Amendment rights. The court ruled that Trifiletti was denied the right to confront an accuser during his trial, leading to the decision for a new trial.
Valerie Lewis, Douglas Lewis' sister, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Trifiletti, seeking upwards of $50,000. The case has drawn significant attention, with Lewis' family asserting that Trifiletti's actions were influenced by racial bias, as Lewis was African American and Trifiletti is white. The new trial date for Trifiletti has yet to be determined, and the case continues to unfold as both families seek justice and closure.
