The bench trial of Terrell Anthony Ranzy, the man charged in the death of St. Olaf College linebacker Matthew Lee, opened this week in Dakota County, pulling a long-running South St. Paul shooting case squarely into the spotlight. Ranzy has pleaded not guilty and filed both a self-defense notice and a defense-of-property claim. He faces counts that include second-degree unintentional murder, second-degree manslaughter and possession of a firearm as an ineligible person. Prosecutors say Lee, 20, was shot and killed early on Sept. 12, 2025, in South St. Paul. The trial is expected to run into mid-May.
As reported by the Pioneer Press, the case is being heard in a bench trial before Judge Richelle Wahi, with prosecutors listing more than 50 potential witnesses in court filings. Assistant Dakota County Attorney Alex Goering told the paper that “at the heart of this case... is a single question: reasonableness or recklessness.” Court filings also state that officers recovered 14 spent casings at the scene.
Shooting and scene
According to the criminal complaint, the shooting occurred around 3:45 a.m. on Sept. 12, 2025, in the 300 block of Second Avenue South. The complaint says Matthew Lee was hit twice, once in the shoulder and once in the back of the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene. It also states that 21-year-old Keith Brian Woodson Cox Jr. returned fire and was shot in his arms and torso.
Police reported that officers later found Ranzy hiding in a shed about three blocks away after recovering the spent casings.
Defense claims and defendant history
Court filings and the criminal complaint show that Ranzy has formally claimed self-defense and, more recently, defense of property. His attorney, Alexander Vian, has told the court that Ranzy believed people were trying to rob him when the shooting unfolded.
According to court records, Ranzy was barred from possessing firearms following a January 2025 felony conviction for threats of violence, a case in which he received a three-year probation sentence.
What to expect at trial
Because Ranzy opted for a bench trial, it is Judge Wahi, not a jury of twelve, who will decide whether his actions were reasonable under Minnesota law. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to call a mix of neighbors, law enforcement, and forensic experts as the court digs into ballistic evidence, witness accounts, and sharply conflicting narratives about what happened on that September night.
The current schedule has testimony and arguments continuing through May 15, though the judge may take additional testimony or set further deadlines after that.
Remembering Matthew Lee
Teammates described Lee as a steady, positive presence for St. Olaf both in the locker room and on campus. As reported by the Pioneer Press, teammate James Kilian recalled that Lee “smiled, always had a great attitude.” Lee, a 20-year-old economics major and junior linebacker at St. Olaf, died at the scene, according to court filings.
Legal notes
The charges against Ranzy, as laid out in the criminal complaint and court records, are second-degree unintentional murder, second-degree manslaughter and possession of a firearm by an ineligible person. His self-defense and defense-of-property claims put the legal spotlight on whether his use of deadly force will be deemed reasonable under the circumstances, a question that now rests entirely with the judge after the evidence is in.
The Dakota County courthouse will remain the center of this case through mid-May, as both sides press their competing versions of the shooting. The outcome will ultimately turn on Judge Wahi’s view of witness credibility, the ballistic and forensic evidence, and whether prosecutors have proven each element of the charged crimes beyond a reasonable doubt.
