A St. Cloud man has been found guilty in the shooting death of his co-worker in 2022.

A jury found Michael Carpenter guilty of first-degree pre-meditated murder and second-degree murder for killing 28-year-old Nicole Hammond. Investigators say she’d repeatedly rejected his personal advances.
           
The verdict was read in court just after 3 p.m. Friday and Hammond’s family declined to speak afterward.

According to the criminal complaint, investigators found an argument over text messages between Hammond and Carpenter the night before the shooting, with Hammond saying she didn’t want to be touched or manipulated by Carpenter.

Court documents even outlined that officers learned Carpenter made numerous advances towards Hammond the month prior. The next day, authorities found Hammond’s body in the parking lot of the place they worked at in St. Cloud.

Officers later arrested Carpenter and found a pistol with a loaded magazine that matched the shell found outside the business.

In the days that followed, Hammond’s colleagues mourned the loss of their friend, leaving flowers and a memorial outside the business where she worked, also leaving messages of support to the family of a life cut short.

Carpenter’s attorney declined to speak after the verdict. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sep. 20.