Second defendant found guilty in slaying of St. Paul man walking home from work

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Ramsey County jury has found a 19-year-old man guilty of second-degree intentional murder, for the role he played in last year’s shooting of Alex Becker. Becker was walking home from a late-night work shift when he was gunned down in the alley just steps from his mother’s house in the North End of St. Paul. 

Authorities have alleged Allen was conspiring with two others to rob Becker at gunpoint just two days after Christmas. But they ended up shooting him six times in a darkened alley. Authorities do not have video of the actual shooting, but the audio of the gunfire, eight shots in total spaced out over three bursts, was captured on a neighbor’s surveillance video system.

The first defendant to go on trial, Shaun Travis, was acquitted following a bench trial presided over by Ramsey County District Court Judge JaPaul Harris.

A third defendant, Arteze Kinerd is expected to go on trial sometime in the new year. Becker’s mother told FOX 9’s Paul Blume there is no justice because nothing will bring back her son following Tuesday’s verdict.

"I am just worried about public safety at this point. I am glad that they (Allen) won't be able to hurt anybody else," said Tara Becker.

Becker’s loved ones are now anticipating an empty holiday, as they also must mark one year since he was stolen from them.

"We are just going to try to honor his memory and hold space for him at Christmas," explained Tara Becker. "Be together. But without him, it is going to be tough."

Allen, who was acquitted on a lesser second-degree felony murder count, is set to be sentenced on April 26, 2024. Prosecutors are seeking a longer sentence than called for under state guidelines for second-degree intentional murder because the crime was allegedly committed by a group of three or more conspiring together. That decision will ultimately be made by Judge Paul Yang.