St. Paul man gets 11 years for fatally shooting 41-year-old woman
Sep. 28—Antoine Lorenzo Powell's explanation for why he shot and killed a St. Paul woman last year gave little closure to the grieving family that packed the Ramsey County District courthouse Monday.
Powell was sentenced to 11 years for killing Annamarie Wagener, 41. He pleaded guilty Aug. 17 to shooting her six times as she stood outside her residence Sept. 3, 2020. His reason? He heard a gunshot, he was drunk and he just reacted. He said he did not know Wagener.
Powell, 35, of St. Paul, likely will spend seven years in prison and about four years on supervised release. He will be credited with 300 days time served.
"I'm kind of disappointed in the justice system, that we had to do this plea deal, just to get you off the streets. Nobody buys your story," William Wagener, Annamarie's brother, said to Powell. He spoke from a seat in the jury box that served as overflow seating. The court room was filled with about 30 of her friends and family members.
"I hope that my sister haunts you every day and every night for the rest of your life," he said.
Powell, wearing an orange jumpsuit, was unemotional. He stood and pulled down his COVID mask to address the family.
"I heard a gunshot. Things happened," Powell said. "I seen her firearm and I made my decision. Should I have used that much force? No. I shouldn't have."
He said he didn't know the area and that he was sorry for what had happened.
POLICE TRACKED HIM THROUGH GPS ANKLE BRACELET
Police were able to track him after the shooting because he was wearing a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet from a previous crime. His criminal record includes three drug-related convictions, nine convictions for driving without a license, convictions for fraud, and assault.
The prosecution and the defense agreed on a downward durational departure in Powell's sentence. This means that although Powell pleaded guilty, he will spend fewer years behind bars than a crime of second-degree murder, coupled with his record, would normally call for. The murkiness of how the shooting played out made the prosecution hesitant to take the case to trial.
According to the criminal complaint, surveillance video from that night shows Wagener sitting on the steps in front of her residence about 3:23 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arcade Street.
Around 3:31 a.m., she stood up from the steps, reached into her waistband and pulled out a handgun. She held the gun as she walked out of the camera frame. Ten minutes later, police squads arrived.
According to the complaint, Wagener had recently gotten a permit to carry a firearm because she didn't feel safe in her neighborhood.
ONE GUNSHOT, A PAUSE, FLURRY OF MORE GUNSHOTS
Witnesses reported hearing one gunshot, a pause, and then a flurry of more gunshots.
One witness, who had just arrived home, told police he looked out his window and saw a man matching Powell's description shoot Wagener. She moved backwards and he continued to shoot until she was on the ground.
The witness told police the man took something and fled. According to court documents, Powell took Wagener's gun and cell phone.
Judge Shawn M. Bartsh cast doubt on Powell's claim that he didn't know the neighborhood and his explanation of being drunk.
"Being drunk does not justify the taking of a human life. You chose to drink. You chose to own a gun. You chose to take it with you on that night," she said.
WAGENER DESCRIBED AS 'FRIEND,' 'PROTECTOR,' 'LOVING DAUGHTER'
Multiple family members read victim impact statements. The group wore shirts with Wagener's photo on the front and back and held up pictures of her throughout the proceedings. A few were too emotional to remain in the courtroom. They left, sobbing, saying they couldn't hear any more.
Wagener was described as a "pillar of the family," "a friend," "a protector," "the strongest person," "a loving daughter," and a fun grandma. All talked about the hole her loss has left in their family.
"I screamed, cried and had to be medicated for my panic attacks," her mother, Grace Frye, said of how she felt after learning of her daughter's death. "Her laugh was contagious. I will never, ever get that again. No mother should ever have to lose a child the way that I did."
