U.S. marshals nab suspected St. Paul gunman in fatal drive-by shooting hiding in Arkansas

A 27-year-old man who fled south following a fatal drive-by shooting in St. Paul last month has been extradited back to Minnesota to face murder charges after U.S. marshals tracked him down in Arkansas.

Olando D. Franklin Jr., of St. Peter, was charged in Ramsey County District Court via sealed warrant with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the slaying of 21-year-old Anthony Boelter, of St. Paul. Franklin remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

He is the second man to be charged in the case. Bobby Leroy Woody, 43, was charged late last month with his alleged role behind the wheel that night. Franklin is the suspected shooter, authorities say.

According to the criminal complaint:

Officers responded to the intersection of E. Minnehaha Avenue and Cypress Street just before 10 p.m. on April 25 and found Boelter slumped over the driver's seat of his yellow Volkswagen Beetle. The rear window had been shot out and bullets were lodged in his headrest and back fender. Boelter died at the scene.

An autopsy determined that Boelter died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Two uninjured passengers inside Boelter's car told police that he'd "been in a long-standing feud with the occupants of the nearby residence where his ex-girlfriend lived" and Boelter made a point to drive by that home on a regular basis.

When they drove past that night, a dark SUV began tailing them from behind. Boelter veered down an alley to try and lose them, his friends said, but someone in the SUV fired off several rounds as they turned on Cypress Street.

Investigators later recovered five spent .45 caliber casings from the area.

Authorities learned that Woody had spent the evening drinking at Boelter's ex-girlfriend's house and was sitting in his SUV when Boelter passed by. Woody, who was seen at the property with a large handgun in his pocket, got upset. Surveillance video showed Franklin running to get in the passenger seat before Woody sped to chase Boelter down.

A witness saw muzzle flashes pop from the back passenger side of the SUV as it pulled alongside the VW Beetle. The suspects fled after seeing the witness.

Police searching Woody's home later found a Springfield .45 caliber handgun, charges say. He was arrested within days, but Franklin remained elusive. Investigators eventually chased him down in West Memphis, Ark. where he has familial ties. Franklin doesn't appear to have a criminal history beyond minor traffic offenses.

Boelter's family created a GoFundMe to help raise money for funeral expenses. "He did not deserve to go this way and we need to give him the proper send off," wrote his sister, Alyssa Boelter. "He was loved by so many and he will be greatly missed."

Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648