A Minnesota jury on Tuesday cleared Terrell Anthony Ranzy of both unintentional murder and second‑degree manslaughter charges stemming from the death of Matthew Lee, a 21‑year‑old St. Olaf College football player.
The same panel found Ranzy guilty of illegal firearm possession, noting that the conviction rests on a prior felony that barred him from carrying a weapon.
Lee was shot in the early morning of September 2025 during a botched robbery attempt in South St. Paul, a case that quickly turned into a high‑profile test of accountability for gun owners.
Prosecutors argued that Ranzy’s decision to brandish a weapon escalated a confrontation with his accomplice, Keith Brian Woodson Cox Jr., whose own gunfire added to the chaos that left Lee dead.
Investigators recovered 14 shell casings at the scene, confirming that two firearms were discharged, but the jury remained unconvinced that Ranzy intended to kill the bystander.
Ranzy remains jailed in Dakota County and will be sentenced on July 15, a date that will likely determine the length of his incarceration for the weapons charge.
Woodson Cox Jr. still faces a separate hearing on May 27, where he is expected to answer for first‑degree attempted aggravated robbery linked to the same incident.
Implications for gun‑related prosecutions
The verdict underscores the narrow line between lawful self‑defense and unlawful weapon use, a distinction that will continue to shape future cases across the state.