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Minneapolis man accused of killing ex-girlfriend now faces first-degree murder charges

By WCCO Staff

/ CBS Minnesota

Charges have been upgraded for David Wright, a 51-year-old Minneapolis man accused of killing his ex-girlfrend.

Mariah Samuels, 34, was shot and killed in September. Family members said she died just minutes after posting about domestic violence she faced.

Wright was originally charged with one count of second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm. His charges were upgraded Monday to include one count of first-degree premeditated murder and one count of first-degree murder.

If Wright is convicted on either count, he could serve a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Samuels was shot just feet from her front door on North 14th and Russell avenues in the Willard-Hay neighborhood, according to the criminal complaint. She had a restraining order against Wright, and less than an hour before she was killed, wrote on her Facebook page that her ex-boyfriend had threatened her family and damaged her car.

Samuels' family said she had dated Wright for a few months before she broke up with him. 

"He stalked and he searched and he looked, and he's been around the block, watching. And he got her," said Carolyn Brooks, Samuels' aunt.

The amended criminal complaint describes several text messages between Wright and Samuels, in which she accuses him of slamming a door on her. The complaint also says that Wright was "controlling" of Samuels and likely jealous "due to his belief she was involved with a former partner."

Last month, Samuels' family members called for justice and accountability, saying Minneapolis police and others didn't do enough to keep her safe. 

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Mariah Samuels Riah Samuels

"Her cries for safety were ignored. Her life should have been protected and now she's gone," said Salina Owens, Samuels' sister. 

Family members said she had made several calls to police. They again renewed their calls for accountability on Tuesday, demanding "full transparency from MPD regarding its failure to enforce the order of protection."

In response to Samuels' death, the office of public safety says Chief Brian O'Hara is ordering a thorough review of her case. The statement said O'Hara also directed Minneapolis officers to be retrained on domestic violence response by the end of the year.

"Mariah should be alive. She should be with her family, and my thoughts have been with them since they lost Mariah in September," said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. "The system failures prior to her death must never be repeated and every part of the system she interacted with must hold themselves accountable to ensure it. Mr. Wright will be held accountable, and he will do no more harm to our community."

For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.

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