33-year-old sentenced to life in prison without parole for 2023 Fridley murder
Courtesy of Anoka County Jail
A 33-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in the parking lot of a Cub Foods in Fridley in March of 2023.
Johnson Kenny Sirleaf has credit for 457 days already served.
He was convicted and sentenced for first-degree murder. He had also been charged with second-degree murder and kidnapping but wasn’t sentenced for them, as they’re lesser offenses.
Sirleaf’s co-defendant, Blanyon Toe Davies, is set to be sentenced later this month for aiding Sirleaf.
As previously reported, the murder occurred on March 9, 2023. Responding officers found 27-year-old Devon Michael Adams suffering a gunshot wound to the chest. He was brought to the hospital but was pronounced deceased.
Court documents state that Adams’ girlfriend told police that he had been staying at the Extended Stay hotel, right next to the Cub.
A witness said they heard a “pop” and saw Adams fall to the ground, before seeing a red SUV flee the area. The witness said the SUV had been at the back of the hotel a few weeks earlier.
Surveillance video showed that the SUV drove into the parking lot, went right to Adams’ truck and pulled in front of it as if to keep it from leaving. Witnesses said the two people in the vehicle were arguing when the gunshot was fired, and video showed the SUV then drive right to an apartment complex off of Main Street in Fridley.
20 minutes later, the video showed a pickup truck pick up the driver of the SUV and drive off.
The SUV was registered to two women who had connections to Sirleaf, and the truck was registered to Davies.
Cellphone data placed Sirleaf at the parking lot at the time of the shooting and placed Sirleaf and Davies together, as shown in surveillance video.
Investigators also learned that Davies had been staying at the Extended Stay hotel from March 5-15, and Sirleaf had also been spending nights at the hotel. Surveillance showed the two also frequented the hotel since Adams was shot and killed.