Terrell Anthony Ranzy, 19 of St. Paul, was charged* today with one count of second-degree unintentional murder while committing a felony and one count of second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of Matthew Robert Lee, 20 of South St. Paul, Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena announced. Ranzy was also charged with possession of a firearm by an ineligible person as he is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of a previous Ramsey County conviction for threats of violence.
According to the criminal complaint, at 3:42 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, South St. Paul police officers were dispatched to a residence on a report of a medical emergency. Upon arrival, officers were advised an unresponsive male was located in an upstairs bedroom. After entering the room, they found two adult males suffering from gunshot wounds. Lee was lying on the floor with a large amount of blood on his clothing. Officers could not find a pulse and he was declared deceased. The other injured male, 20-year-old Keith Brian Woodson Cox Jr., also of South St. Paul, had a tourniquet on his left arm with apparent gunshot wounds to his arm and torso.
During the investigation, witnesses told officers that Ranzy, Woodson Cox, Lee and others were together in the upper-level bedroom. Both Woodson Cox and Ranzy had guns and they were comparing them — Woodson Cox had a Glock 19 and Ranzy had an XD. A witness, along with Lee and Woodson Cox, went into the adjacent bathroom. Woodson Cox told them he was going to rob Ranzy of his gun. Both advised him against it.
They returned to the bedroom and Woodson Cox pointed his firearm at Ranzy, demanding his gun. Ranzy then fell backwards on to a bed and discharged his gun into the ceiling. He then fired multiple rounds, hitting both Lee and Woodson Cox. A witness said Lee was an innocent bystander.
Various accounts were given on who fired guns, but officers located 14 discharged casings including both 9 mm and 40 caliber casings indicating that two guns were fired. Ranzy ran from the residence after the shooting and was found shortly thereafter by law enforcement in a nearby shed. He was taken into custody.
Woodson Cox was charged by warrant complaint with attempted aggravated robbery in the first degree for his role in this incident.
An autopsy was performed and the preliminary results indicate that Lee died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death was homicide.
Ranzy is currently in custody at the Dakota County Jail. Bail was set in the amount of $750,000 without conditions ($400,000 with conditions) by Judge Bryce Ehrman. Ranzy's next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 9 a.m. in Hastings.
County Attorney Keena thanked the South St. Paul Police Department, the West St. Paul Police Department, the Inver Grove Heights Police Department and the Minnesota BCA for the investigation this incident.
A summary of the facts pertaining to this case can be found in the criminal complaint at Criminal Complaint Search.
*Criminal charges are not evidence of guilt. A defendant/suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.