HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 01-19 In Maplewood home-robbery killing, 2nd suspect arrested PIONEER PRESS 1/21/2016 www.twincities.com/portlet/article/htm1/fragments/print—article.jsp?articleld=29409601&siteld=569
In Maplewood home-robbery killing, 2nd suspect arrested
By Sarah Horner
shorner@pioneerpress.com
TwinCifles.corn-Pioneer Press
Posted:Tue Jan 19 23:01:00 MST 2016
Police made another arrest Tuesday in the homicide of a Maplewood father who was shot
during a home invasion in early November.
Ernest Donald Atchison, 32, of St. Paul was arrested at his St. Paul workplace at 5:30 P.m.
Tuesday, according to Maplewood Police Chief Paul Schnell.
He was booked into the Ramsey County Jail on suspicion of homicide. He has not been
charged.
His family could not be reached immediately for comment.
Police suspect Atchison was involved in the murder of Justin Niles Wright, a 31-year-old fatally
shot by an intruder who broke into his Maplewood home in the22oo block of Hazel Street on
Nov. 8.
Schnell said he expects Atchison will be charged with aiding and abetting in the crime and that
other arrests could be forthcoming.
"He may not have been the shooter but we certainly believe he was actively engaged in
committing the offense that resulted in the homicide of Justin Wright," Schnell said.
Another man was arrested in connection with Wright's homicide in December.
Brandon Lamar Cooper, 30, was charged with second-degree murder in Wright's death Dec. 18
while he was in custody for a burglary in Minneapolis, according to the criminal complaint filed
against him in Ramsey County District Court.
Cooper's bail was set at $1 million and he was granted a public defender. He has not entered a
plea. His next court appearance is Thursday.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Cooper, Wright's girlfriend told officers she
and Wright had been asleep when she awoke to a strange voice just outside the bedroom
saying, "Tell me where it's at."
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She said Wright also was in the hallway and she saw him lunge toward a dark figure. She heard
a single gunshot before Wright staggered through the house, eventually collapsing in the living
room, the complaint said.
Wright's two children were away at a sleepover at the time. His girlfriend was not injured.
The woman admitted to police that she and Wright sold marijuana from the house and that
some of her customers knew they kept "significant amounts of marijuana" there.
Police found signs of forced entry in the garage and a 9mm shell casing in the bedroom
hallway. Later that day they found a Smith &Wesson 9mm handgun two blocks away. DNA
from the handgun matched DNA on file for Cooper, according to the complaint.
Schnell would not say what physical evidence tied Atchison to the crime.
Atchison's criminal record includes convictions for second-degree burglary, receiving stolen
property, possession of stolen property, first-degree damage to property and theft.
Elizabeth Mohr contributed to this report.
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