Feb. 10, 2001: Man charged in St. Paul home invasion

An 18-year-old man whose accomplice was shot to death when they forced their way into a St. Paul house was charged with first-degree aggravated robbery Friday in what police described as a botched attempt to steal illegal drugs from the home.

Loren L. Land, who was in the Ramsey County jail Friday in lieu of $25,000 bail, was one of two armed men who invaded a home on Fuller Avenue near Milton Street shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Investigators said Land used an assault rifle and Brice Moore, 17, used a handgun to hold two men hostage while searching for illegal drugs.

Resident Craig Trottier, 20, was able to wrestle away Land's rifle in the living room. After a brief chase, Trottier fired at Land, who ran out the back door. He was arrested by police nearby.

Meanwhile Trottier, who shared the home with James Perrin, 20, went upstairs and found Moore aiming a gun at Perrin's head.

Trottier told investigators that Moore pointed the gun at him when he entered the room, so he shot Moore several times, according to the criminal complaint filed Friday by the county attorney's office.

Perrin, who was standing next to Moore when the shots were fired, grabbed Moore's wrist to prevent him from firing, the complaint said. The fallen man was still pointing the gun at Perrin, Trottier told police, so he shot Moore to make him drop the gun.

The county attorney's office said Friday afternoon that Trottier, who was held in jail overnight for questioning, would not be charged in the shooting because he was defending himself and someone else.

Police spokesman Michael Jordan said that police consider the homicide investigation closed.

However, he said officers searched the home Friday morning and found what are believed to be illegal drugs. He said drug charges could be filed, but wouldn't say how much or what type of drugs were found.

According to the complaint, Land told police he talked Moore into the robbery attempt. The complaint doesn't say what they sought, but Jordan said investigators believe the suspects were trying to steal illegal drugs.

"That's probably what it was, a drug ripoff," Jordan said.

It doesn't appear that the four men knew each other, he said, but the suspects "knew enough to know there were drugs there."

Daniel Vansteenburg, who owns the house where the shooting took place, said Trottier and Perrin were among four men who rented the home in August after responding to a flier he posted at the University of Minnesota.

The landlord said he was surprised by what had happened and that the tenants, all students, hadn't caused problems. Police said Thursday was the first time in the past year that officers had been to the house.

"They're great guys," Vansteenburg said. "They pay the rent on time and they don't disturb the neighbors."