Two men plead guilty in Fridley murder case

FRIDLEY, Minn. (KMSP) - Two men pleaded guilty Monday for their role in the death of a Fridley man this past May, which investigators say was the result of a drug deal gone wrong. 

Johnny Earl Edwards, 44, was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder for killing 54-year-old James Lamont Chapman, for which prosecutors are asking 30 years in prison. Bryston Hill-Turnipseed, 35, pleaded guilty to aiding an offender while committing a felony, for which he has already agreed to 11 years in prison. 

Both men will be formally sentenced Feb. 13.

Edwards is reportedly the one who pulled the trigger, though according to a criminal complaint neither man would cooperate with police or provide a statement. Investigators said that both men went to Chapman's house to purchase marijuana, leaving and returning moments later to shoot him, all without saying a word.

A homeowner who witnessed the killing knew Turnipseed previously and was able to identify a booking photo of Edwards due to his distinct facial scarring and amputated leg, later providing a statement to police that outlined the series of events.