Another man has been charged in last weekend’s shooting death that left a mother dead in St. Paul.
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On Friday, 26-year-old Isiah Lee Harper was charged with first-degree aggravated robbery and first-degree burglary.
After his arrest Thursday, Harper admitted he was present at the burglary that led to Wierstad’s death Sunday, according to the criminal complaint against him. The other man allegedly involved in the burglary, who has the same initials, 24-year-old Alvin Bell, has already been arrested and charged with second degree murder.
Harper says Bell and another man known as “AB” entered the residence to look for items to steal. Bell called him to the front of the house to hand him a few items.
A complaint says Harper told police the home was selected at random and he didn’t think anyone would get killed.
In a post-Miranda interview, Harper, of Minneapolis, told police that Wierstad came in through the back door of the property and turned the lights, while the men were in the process of stealing her possessions towards the front.
Wierstad was returning home from working double shifts, something she often did to support herself and her daughter.
Bell is being held in the Ramsey County Jail on $1 million bail. She stated that her daughter was on the way.
“The female asked if she could have her phone”. Harper told police he heard AB saying, “stay back – stop following us”, then heard four to five shots.
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Those cars – a Chrevolet Suburban and a Toyota 4Runner – went to Minneapolis gas station about a half hour after the shooting, and surveillance video showed Bell trying to pay for gas with Wierstad’s credit card.
