SE Minnesota Man Found Guilty of Murder and Other Charges
Austin, MN (KROC-AM News) - An Austin man has been found guilty of murder and other charges for the shooting death of an Austin woman.
A Mower County Judge has convicted 29-year-old Me'Darian McGruder on two counts of second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, felony domestic assault, and a charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a violent felon. A third-degree murder charge was dismissed.
The verdict was issued a week after the defense and prosecution rested their cases on Valentine's Day. McGruder earlier waived his right to a jury trial and opted to have the judge hear all of the witness testimony and consider the evidence before deciding his fate.
According to the criminal complaint in the case, McGruder shot and killed 20-year-old Tyesha Gills at her home in Austin on the night of July 31, 2021. A witness told investigators that McGruder shot the young woman in the chest when she continued to point a small laser at him after he warned her to stop.
The court document says McGruder then fled from the residence. He was finally apprehended in September 2021.
His sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
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Gallery Credit: Photos supplied by Rochester Police Departmentt
