Search warrants reveal new information about August Maplewood murder

Search warrant applications filed in Ramsey County last week reveal previously unreleased details about a murder that occurred in Maplewood in August.

As previously reported, authorities responded to a man who had been found deceased on the 2600 block of Elm Street North on Aug. 15.

According to search warrants, the victim was identified as Lee Vong Lee, 38.

Lee’s cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds to the head.

While executing a search warrant in August, police found a discharged 9mm cartridge casing in the camper trailer where Lee was found dead. They did not find a firearm in the area.

Court documents state an informant told police the name of the person who shot Lee. The possible suspect is named in the search warrants, but KSTP has decided not to name him until he is arrested and/or charged.

Lee’s brother said he had loaned his SUV to the man, but that he didn’t currently know where the vehicle was. The vehicle registered on license plate readers near Larpenteur Avenue East and Prosperity Road North around the time the murder would have taken place. The informant said that this was where the potential suspect discarded the murder weapon.

On Oct. 1, police found a 9mm handgun and magazine in the woods near Larpenteur Ave. E and Prosperity Rd. N. Analysis showed that it was the same firearm used to kill Lee.

Authorities filed search warrants to analyze cell tower data from Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T from the murder scene and where the firearm was located on the night of the murder.

Maplewood police on Wednesday confirmed there were no updates to share on the murder investigation.