Trial in 2015 Minneapolis murder case set to begin this week

Trial is set to begin this week in the case of a Minneapolis woman’s death more than six years ago.

Jury selection was set to begin Monday in the trial of 21-year-old Demetrius Wynne, who has been charged with second-degree intentional murder and second-degree murder while committing a felony.

The case was launched after then-68-year-old Susan Spiller was found dead inside her home along Dupont Avenue North on July 16, 2015.

According to a charging document filed at the time, investigators learned from witnesses that Spiller had been having ongoing issues with neighbors to the south of her house. Investigators learned Wynne was living in that house at the time of Spiller’s death.

Investigators found fingerprints on the windowsill of Spiller’s home that matched Wynne’s fingerprints, the charging document states. Though Wynne denied having been to Spiller’s house and denied having seen her before, investigators allegedly found DNA matching Wynne from a fingernail clipping from Spiller’s hand, according to the charging document.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Spiller’s death was caused by “complex homicidal violence.”

Wynne, who was 14 years old at the time of the incident, was initially arrested and charged by juvenile petition.

A closed juvenile court hearing on Sept. 18 and Oct. 22, 2019, was held before Hennepin County District Court Judge Tanya Bransford after the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office filed a petition to have Wynne certified as an adult. Bransford ruled in favor of adult certification.

“A fingerprint is not a murder,” Ira Whitlock, Wynne’s attorney told reporters at the Hennepin County Government Center on Monday. “It’s definitely going to be a tough case,” he added.

Whitlock said Wynne and Spiller had a “friendly relationship,” and said of Wynne, “this man is innocent and we’re going to do our best of him.”

“People like that are a rare gem — we were devastated as a community when she was killed,” former Minneapolis City Council President Barb Johnson, a friend of Spiller’s, said.

Johnson said Spiller was active in the Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Association, a nonprofit that says it works to create vibrant and safe places to live, work and play.

“Block leader, community volunteer, just a wonderful person,” Johnson said of Spiller.

“I think it was eye-opening to people — how long the wheels of justice can take to turn,” she added.

RELATED: Teen to be tried as adult in 2015 murder of Minneapolis activist

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