Guilty Pleas For Murderous Minnesota Crime Spree

Wilmar, MN (MinnesotaNow) - A Minneapolis man charged in a murderous crime spree last October has entered guilty pleas to murder and attempted murder charges.

Twenty-six-year-old Ameer Musa Materiyeh was charged in Kandiyohi County following his arrest for what the criminal complaint describes as a terrifying day for law enforcement officers and victims of his violent actions. The court document says it all began with a domestic disturbance at a Minneapolis apartment complex, where police stated Materiyeh had fired several shots from the top floor of the building.

The charges state that Materiyeh was able to evade law enforcement and flee the Twin Cities in a vehicle reported stolen in Carver County. Less than an hour later, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office was informed that a vehicle had been stolen at gunpoint and was headed toward Willmar. The alert included information that shots had been fired from the stolen vehicle.

According to the complaint, as officers were preparing to intercept the suspect, a 911 call came in from a home near Lake Lillian, where the homeowner had been shot in the chest. Materiyeh allegedly confronted the man outside the home, shot him, and then fired multiple bullets into the residence after the victim ran inside.

The 25-year-old victim was identified as a correctional officer with the McLeod County Sheriff’s Office.

The complaint says Materiyeh sped away toward Willmar, pursued by law enforcement at speeds of up to 130 mph. The chase ended when officers used the vehicle’s OnStar system to disable it just south of Willmar.

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The complaint further describes how Materiyeh used the disabled vehicle to crash into the back of a pickup truck as officers approached. He then got out of the stolen vehicle and approached the pickup before fatally shooting the driver in an apparent carjacking attempt.

The victim, 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek of New London, died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Officers reported that Materiyeh then tried to flee on foot but was apprehended a short distance away. The complaint states he made references to “suicide by cop” and said he wanted to die, citing relationship problems as a motive.

Materiyeh was charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and felony fleeing police. Under a plea agreement announced today, Materiyeh entered Norgaard pleas to the murder and attempted murder charges. A Norgaard plea means he admits guilt but claims he does not remember his actions due to impairment or other circumstances.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in November.

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