2 Additional Men Charged In Fatal Maplewood Home Invasion

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Two more men have been charged in connection with a deadly home invasion in Maplewood, according to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.

On Thursday, the attorney's office said 35-year-old Ernest Atchison, Jr. of St. Paul and 35-year-old Bradley Cook of North Branch have each been charged with second-degree murder.

On Nov. 7, 2015, police say they were called at about 4:47 a.m. to a home on the 2200 block of Hazel Street on a report that a man had been shot. When officers arrived, they found a resident of the home with a gunshot wound to the upper portion of his body.

The man, identified by authorities as 31-year-old Justin Niles Wright, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim's girlfriend, who was in a different part of the home during the shooting, called police. She was not injured.

Authorities say Atchison allegedly removed a light bulb from a neighbor's home in order to shut off a motion sensor, which allowed investigators to identify him from a DNA profile. He was arrested on Jan. 19, 2016.

A third man, 30-year-old Brandon Lamar Cooper, has already been charged with two counts of second-degree murder.

Investigators were able to track down Cooper as part of a burglary ring. They say that ring was responsible for other home invasions which targeted known marijuana dealers.

On Thursday afternoon, Atchiso will make his first appearance in court and Cooper will be making his second appearance.

Cook has a warrant out for his arrest.