Man, who was 16 when he shot victim, pleads guilty to St. Paul murder days before jury trial

A man who was 16 when he was accused of fatally shooting a man in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood nearly two years ago has pleaded guilty days before his jury trial was set to begin.

Daeshon Lee Tucker, 18, pleaded guilty on Oct. 3 to second-degree unintentional murder in the death of Marcus Darnell Miller, 24, in October 2022.

Tucker was also charged with second-degree intentional murder, but that charge could be dismissed as part of a plea deal that calls for a 16½-year sentence.

Judge Sophia Vuelo will sentence Tucker on Nov. 18.

Attorneys were prepared for a jury trial Monday, which would have featured body worn camera footage, evidence from Tucker’s social media and testimony from 75 witnesses.

According to court documents, Miller was getting drinks with his girlfriend when Tucker and another man wearing face masks and armed with handguns drove over a sidewalk to cut off the couple. Miller’s girlfriend took shelter behind his SUV and recorded the incident. She told police that Tucker and the driver searched Miller’s pockets and told him he owed people money.

Miller tried to flee, but Tucker and the driver shot him. He collapsed near his vehicle, and his killers drove off.

Weeks later, Tucker was arrested and charged after a palm print and surveillance footage tied him to the crime.

Comments on Tucker’s social media pages at the time also suggested that he killed Miller. One post made days after the murder read: “He tried ta run and he tripped.” The post was followed by a ninja assassin emoji.

“This description is consistent with Miller’s movements as he tried to escape from the shooters,” charging documents said. “Officers commented that they did not think the murder was supposed to happen that way, to which Tucker replied, ‘It wasn’t supposed to happen at all.’”

An arrest and charges have not been announced for the driver.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner confirmed that Miller died from blood loss caused by a gunshot wound to his back.