Love triangle led to deadly shooting in Howard Lake: Charges

HOWARD LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A perceived love triangle between employees is believed to have led to the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man after the gunman’s wife told him she was leaving him, according to court documents. 

Kevin Asencio, 23, was charged in Wright County court with one count of second-degree murder with intent in connection to the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Adrian Mantano Medina on March 20.

According to the complaint, Asencio suspected Medina and his wife were involved in a romantic relationship. After arriving at work on Monday, Asencio’s wife told him she wanted to end the relationship.

Prosecutors say Asencio left work and drove to his apartment where he grabbed an AR-15 assault rifle, two magazines, and additional ammunition from the bedroom closet. He then returned to work and parked a few spots away from Medina’s pickup truck. 

Shortly after noon, Asencio’s wife and Medina left work and walked to his pickup truck to have lunch together. Asencio entered the backseat of the truck and threatened Media telling him to either "leave the vehicle or drive away," the complaint reads. 

Medina refused to comply and Asencio fired three shots, striking Medina in the head and killing him, charges allege. Asencio got out of the vehicle, returned to his car, and drove away. 

Wright County Sheriff’s Office received multiple 911 calls just after noon for a shooting inside a truck at the Dura Supreme parking lot. One caller reported seeing a pickup truck driving away from the scene heading east on Highway 12. 

Deputies located Asencio and conducted a traffic stop where he was taken into custody. Law enforcement says they found an AR-15 assault rifle in the car. 

In the charges, police did not clarify if the woman and Medina were involved in a romantic relationship. Law enforcement said they collected cell phones which will be analyzed as part of the investigation. 

Asencio made his first court appearance on Wednesday, and the judge set his bail at $2,000,000 with conditions or $5,000,000 without conditions. He remains in custody at Wright County Jail.