BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Two Twin Cities women who orchestrated a 2017 Bloomington, Minn., home invasion robbery that resulted in 19-year-old Corey Elder being shot and killed had their murder convictions vacated last week. The city’s police chief subsequently took to YouTube to denounce the development.
Megan Christine Cater, 25, of Lakeville and Briana Marie Martinson, 27, of Prior Lake, each pleaded guilty in 2018 to an amended charge of aiding and abetting second-degree murder to avoid jury trials on a charge of first-degree murder against each of them.
Charges in the case said Cater and Martinson had previously purchased drugs from Elder and subsequently arranged with four others to burglarize Elder’s apartment and steal drugs. On April 27, 2017, the six co-defendants arrived in the parking lot in two vehicles and then discussed how they would scare and “rough up” Elder with the plan to steal drugs or property.
Clockwise from top left: Maurice Verser, Tarrance Murphy, Alec Streit, Noah Peterson (MN Dept. of Corrections)
Alec Streit and Noah Peterson remained in the parking lot while Cater and Martinson burst into Elder’s apartment with Maurice Verser and Tarrance Murphy right behind them. Verser and Murphy proceeded to assault Elder and pistol whip him while Cater and Martinson confronted Elder’s girlfriend in the bedroom. Cater and Martinson ransacked the apartment looking for drugs and took Xanax, Gabapentin, and cocaine from the bedroom. At one point, Verser or Murphy pointed a gun at the head of Elder’s girlfriend and told her to remain still.
Elder continued to resist Verser and Murphy, at which point Verser dragged Elder into the bedroom and threw him onto the bed next to his girlfriend. Verser then raised the gun and shot Elder in the neck, the charging document stated.
All six suspects fled and were all arrested within three days. Police recovered the stolen drugs in Cater’s vehicle, and they were able to recover the gun based on information gathered through custody statements.
Cater and Martinson were each convicted and sentenced to 162 months in prison (13.5 years), with an order to serve at least 108 months incarcerated (9 years), which would have been two-thirds of the sentence. Both were also convicted on a charge of first-degree burglary while in possession of a dangerous weapon.
In the last legislative session, the DFL controlled legislature passed legislation to revise the felony murder statute, effectively changing the law so that people cannot be charged with murder unless they intended to cause the murder or were a direct participant in the murder.
The change in the law opened the door for Cater and Martinson to petition to have their sentences reduced or have their convictions vacated. Court records show they each filed for post-conviction relief in their respective cases late last year, claiming they “did not cause the death” of Elder, were not “major participant[s]” in the underlying felony, and “did not act with extreme indifference to human life.”
After serving about six years in prison, both Cater and Martinson had their murder convictions vacated last week by Hennepin County Judge Kerry Meyer and were released from prison.
Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges took the opportunity to publicly weigh in on the decision via YouTube in a video titled, “Crocodile Tears.”
The chief said he’d received a lot of calls about the early release of “convict Cater and convict [Martinson] who orchestrated a group of people to murder Mr. Corey Elder in his apartment.”
Chief Hodges held up a photo of all six suspects and said, “none of these people … are here [at Elder’s apartment] if it isn’t for convicts [Martinson] and Cater,” alluding to the fact that Martinson and Cater organized the crime.
Chief Hodges also referenced a statement by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty who said, “Miss Cater and [Martinson] have been held accountable for the harm they actually intended to cause.” Hodges then held up a photo of Corey Elder and said, “Ask him about the harm they intended to cause. He’s not here. He’s courtside cemetery right now.”
Hodges referenced the amount of work that went into his detectives investigating the case and expressed frustration that Cater and Martinson were out of prison “earlier than they should be.”
“It’s amazing what some people get with crocodile tears,” Hodges said while holding up photos of Cater and Martinson.
“You’re still convicts,” Chief Hodges continued. “I hope you learned a lot from this, but bottom line is you should have still continued to serve the time. None of those people were there if it weren’t for you.”
The four other defendants also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Peterson and Streit were sentenced to nearly 13 years each, Murphy was sentenced to 17 years, and Verser was sentenced to over 28 years. All will be eligible for release after serving two-thirds of their sentences.
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
This article appeared at Alpha News and was reprinted with permission.
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