Three Lives Lost Over a $65 Garage Contract; They Were Killed in an Execution-Style Attack, Prosecutors Say
A routine disagreement over a parking garage agreement allegedly turned into a deadly attack inside a St. Paul apartment leasing office, leaving three employees dead and a tenant facing three counts of second-degree murder.
Ramsey County prosecutors charged 30-year-old Tsegaab Ademassu Binessu in the deaths of Nansi Fuentes Zambrano, 25, Dena Silcox, 56, and Adam Wilwerding, 43. Police found the three victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds Monday afternoon at the Davern Park Apartments in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood.
The criminal complaint describes a sudden burst of violence inside a place residents normally visited to sign leases, ask questions and handle everyday housing matters. Investigators say surveillance video captured part of the shooting, while physical evidence and statements from Binessu’s roommate helped authorities build their case. Binessu has been accused, not convicted. The allegations against him will have to be proved in court.
A Parking Dispute Allegedly Became the Flashpoint
According to the complaint, Binessu had recently decided to sell his car and wanted to cancel a contract charging him $65 each month for a garage parking space. Apartment employees reportedly told him the agreement could not be canceled because it had recently been renewed. Prosecutors say Binessu called the leasing office and announced that he would come down to discuss the issue in person. What followed, according to investigators, was not an extended confrontation but an attack that unfolded quickly inside the office.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows Binessu speaking with Silcox and Wilwerding. The complaint says he then lifted his shirt, pulled a handgun from his waistband and chambered a round.
Wilwerding raised his hands, according to the charges, before Binessu allegedly fired six times. Silcox screamed and covered her ears as the shooting began. Prosecutors say she was then shot six times while attempting to move away from the desk. The video reportedly shows Binessu walking down a hallway and disappearing from the camera’s view. A woman’s scream was then heard, followed by four additional gunshots. Fuentes Zambrano was later found in the rear section of the office. Authorities said she appeared to have been trying to escape through a window.
Investigators recovered 21 spent 9mm cartridge casings from the leasing office. Together, the casings, surveillance footage and locations of the victims form a significant part of the prosecution’s account of what occurred. The killings stunned residents because of both their setting and their alleged trigger. The leasing office had been part of the apartment community’s ordinary routine. The dispute described in court documents involved a relatively small monthly charge, yet prosecutors say it ended with three workers losing their lives.
A Roommate’s Call and a 200-Mile Search
A major break in the investigation came from someone who knew Binessu well. His roommate, who told police they had lived together since 2018, contacted authorities after receiving an alarming telephone call. According to the complaint, Binessu told the roommate that he had argued with apartment management and “ended up killing three people.” He allegedly said he was walking toward a police station, but investigators later tracked him much farther from St. Paul.
Police also learned that a vehicle belonging to Fuentes Zambrano was missing from the apartment complex. Authorities arrested Binessu later Monday in Virginia, Minnesota, roughly 200 miles north of St. Paul, while he was driving that vehicle. Officers reportedly discovered recently purchased camping equipment inside the car. Investigators also found Binessu’s passport, Social Security card, an empty handgun magazine and a permit to carry a firearm, according to the complaint. Those items could become relevant as prosecutors attempt to explain his actions and movements after the shooting.
During an interview with police, Binessu admitted that he had gone to the leasing office and had been involved in a dispute. However, the complaint says he did not confess to the three killings. Investigators said Binessu spoke about his frustration with what he called “the American system.” He reportedly discussed spending years unsuccessfully attempting to bring his wife and children from Ethiopia to the United States. He blamed the immigration process for contributing to the end of his marriage.
Binessu also allegedly said he believed he had been treated unfairly because of his race and immigration history. Those statements represent his account of his grievances. Authorities have not presented them as independent proof that discrimination occurred. The complaint says Binessu spoke about losing his family, business and peace of mind. Prosecutors must now demonstrate how his statements, movements, the surveillance recording and the physical evidence connect him to each death.
A Community Remembers Three Workers, Not Just a Crime Scene
The killings transformed the apartment complex into a place of mourning. Residents, relatives and former coworkers gathered near the leasing office with flowers, candles, photographs, prayers and music. Fuentes Zambrano worked as a leasing agent, Silcox served as an assistant manager, and Wilwerding was a multisite manager, according to Mid Continent Management Corp. Company president Angie French described the three as caring and dedicated employees and said the organization was grieving with their families.
Friends remembered Fuentes Zambrano for her laughter, dancing and ability to bring joy to those around her. Silcox’s relatives spoke about her devotion to her children and her love of music and playing the piano. Her father, Robert Silcox, described the shooting as senseless.
Wilwerding, known to many people as AJ, was remembered as a caring manager who had built meaningful relationships with residents across the properties he served. The tributes offered a sharp contrast to the clinical descriptions contained in the criminal complaint: three people with families, routines and futures were killed while doing their jobs. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said the violence had shaken the community and promised that prosecutors would seek accountability.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the three victims,” Choi said. Binessu faces three counts of intentional second-degree murder. Minnesota law permits a sentence of up to 40 years for each count, although any eventual sentence would depend on convictions and decisions made by the court.
For the residents of Davern Park, the legal process will unfold slowly compared with the speed of Monday’s violence. The office can eventually be repaired, the broken window replaced and the police tape removed.
