St. Paul, Minnesota – A Minnesota teenager has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison for fatally shooting a man from behind while wearing a Michael Myers mask, then boasting about the killing on Snapchat. Prosecutors say the gunman “hunted” his target down before firing a single shot to the back of the head on a busy St. Paul street.
Overview of the Deadly Ambush
According to investigators, 19-year-old Jehovah Nelson pleaded guilty in October to second-degree murder with intent in the killing of 24-year-old Dejuan Hemphill. A Ramsey County judge handed him a 12½-year prison sentence on Tuesday.
The shooting unfolded on November 5, 2024, near Rice Street and University Avenue, where St. Paul officers on patrol heard several gunshots ring out shortly before 5 p.m. Within seconds, they spotted a man running and stopped him. The individual told police he had been walking with two cousins when gunfire erupted behind them.
Victim Shot in the Back of the Head
Officers found Hemphill face-down on the street with a devastating gunshot wound to the back of his skull. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, where a doctor later described the wound as “one of the worst she had worked on.” Hemphill survived for ten days before dying from his injuries.
His cousin told detectives the group heard “three gunshots from behind,” and Hemphill immediately collapsed. Attempts to lift him failed due to the severity of the injury.
How the Attack Unfolded, According to Surveillance Video
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby liquor store showing Hemphill and his cousins moments before the shooting. At the same time, Nelson and co-defendant Kenneth Terry, also 19, happened to be inside the store.
Investigators say Terry became upset because one of the cousins had been speaking with the mother of his child. That alleged personal dispute escalated into deadly retaliation.
Footage shows the pair following the group outside. Nelson, wearing a Michael Myers mask from the “Halloween” movie franchise, moved into a shooting stance and fired at Hemphill’s head from behind.
Police noted in their report that the victims were “unaware that they were being hunted.”
Social Media Evidence Revealed Bragging
Detectives secured a search warrant for Nelson’s Snapchat account and found messages in which he boasted about the killing. In one disturbing message, he wrote:
“Pick yo homie up go check dude on rice head tap b—.”
He also messaged Terry asking about the murder weapon:
“Please tell me u sold it.”
These digital messages became key evidence in the murder case.
Arrests and Sentencing
Police arrested both Nelson and Terry in February. Nelson later admitted his role in the shooting. Terry pleaded guilty in November to second-degree murder without intent and is scheduled for sentencing on December 30.
The case highlights how quickly personal disputes can escalate into lethal violence and how digital bragging often becomes a crucial piece of evidence for law enforcement.
Community Impact and Safety Concerns
Residents in the Rice Street corridor have raised ongoing concerns about violence in the area. Incidents like this, where a victim is targeted and ambushed in broad daylight, intensify calls for greater police presence and intervention programs aimed at preventing retaliatory shootings.
Officials continue to urge residents to report threats, online posts indicating violence, and suspicious behavior before situations escalate.
Conclusion
Hemphill’s killing underscores how a personal conflict, social media bravado, and weapons access can combine into a deadly chain of events. With Nelson now sentenced and Terry awaiting his own penalty hearing, investigators say the case should remind young people that online boasting can lead directly to prosecution.
If you live in St. Paul or the Twin Cities area, share your thoughts or experiences with neighborhood safety in the comments below.
