A Dakota County judge convicted and sentenced a 19-year-old Inver Grove Heights man to life in prison for killing a man in South St. Paul after a dispute over a woman that escalated into death threats on social media.
Marcelino Santiago Lopez, 19, was found guilty Tuesday by Dakota County District Judge Arlene Perkkio of first-degree premeditated murder in connection with the shooting of 20-year-old Brandon Jose Nieves of South St. Paul on April 2, 2020, and immediately given the sentence as mandated by law.
Lopez, who had chosen a bench trial rather than having a jury hear the case, also was found guilty of second-degree attempted murder for the wounding of a teenager. All other related counts were dismissed.
"Our sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Brandon Nieves for their great loss," County Attorney Kathy Keena said in a statement after sentencing. "We are thankful for the ongoing recovery of the 16-year-old victim."
Defense attorney Craig Cascarano said Wednesday that "we are going to immediately appeal this. We are confident that the Minnesota Supreme Court will rule in our favor." Cascarano declined to be more specific about the grounds for an appeal.
According to the charges, Lopez had threatened on social media to kill Nieves after he started dating Lopez's ex-girlfriend.
Upon arriving in South St. Paul, Nieves and two others got out of a car. Lopez arrived in an SUV, got out with a shotgun and began firing, according to charges. By the time police arrived, Nieves was dead.
Lopez called 911 and confessed to shooting two people, the criminal complaint read. Police arrested him and found the shotgun in the SUV.
Paul Walsh
