Man sentenced to more than 22 years for murder of 57-year-old in St. Paul

A man who pleaded guilty to the murder of 57-year-old James Jeffrey King Sr. two years ago in St. Paul learned his prison sentence on Monday.

Ramsey County District Judge Sophia Vuelo sentenced 29-year-old Kavion Jayvon Barnett to more than 22 years in prison (268 months) while granting credit for 743 days served.

King was found shot in the head inside a pickup truck on Feb. 9, 2022, near the intersection of Front Avenue and Woodbridge Street in St. Paul’s North End neighborhood. He died three weeks later.

According to a criminal complaint, Barnett told police he had argued with King in the past about loud music and denied trying to kill him, saying he was just trying to scare him.

Barnett pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree unintentional murder in January.