Reginald Buchannan may have been shot to death over a half-ounce of marijuana. At least that's what one of the three men charged Monday with his murder told police.
The other two aren't talking.
While the motive is unclear, what is known is that two of the defendants were riding with the victim the morning of April 16, minutes before his body was dumped out of his car near Battle Creek Park in St. Paul, according to court documents.
The third man, the documents said, helped ditch Buchannan's car in north Minneapolis.
David D. Porter, 29 of St. Paul; Calvin R. Short, 31, and Eugene M. Johnson, 35, were each charged in Ramsey County District Court with second-degree murder.
Porter, who was the first to be arrested, initially denied knowing anything about the shooting. But in later interviews, he told police he had arranged to buy a half-ounce of marijuana from the victim, who had picked up Porter and Short in the 1500 block of Magnolia Avenue in St. Paul.
Porter, who said he was in the front passenger seat with Short in the back seat, said he heard a gunshot and saw Short lean forward and put the car in park, the complaint said.
"Short then got out of the vehicle with a gun in his hand and removed [Buchannan] from the driver's seat leaving him in the street," the complaint said.
Buchannan's body was found about 8:30 a.m. in the southbound lane of Battle Creek Road, just uphill from Lower Afton Road. The 25-year-old St. Paul man died from a gunshot to the back of his head, the medical examiner's office said.
According to court documents, Porter and Johnson, who is Short's brother, abandoned Buchannan's car in an alley in the 4500 block of Bryant Av. N. in Minneapolis and left with Short and his girlfriend.
There was blood on the driver's-side door, and a spent 9-millimeter shell casing was found in a child's car seat in the back seat.
At the home of Porter's girlfriend, police found a 9-millimeter handgun under the sofa. They found an empty gun case and gun holster in a motel room rented by Short's girlfriend.
Short and Johnson were arrested Friday in the Chicago area. Both men denied knowing anything about the shooting, the complaint said.
Pat Pheifer • 651-298-1551
