3 Charged With Murder In St. Paul Homicide

ST. PAUL (WCCO) -- Three people have been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the March 19 homicide of a 38-year-old St. Paul man.

Thirty-eight-year-old Carlos Yobani-Flores Amador, 48-year-old Maria Herlinda Luna and 35-year-old Santana Martinez Valdez, all of St. Paul, were arrested Saturday. The three were charged Monday. Each will make their first court appearances Tuesday.

All three are suspected in the death of Andrew William Braun, who was found unresponsive when St. Paul police officers and St. Paul Fire Department medics were called to a residence before 1:40 a.m. last Monday on the 700 block of Lawson Avenue East.

According to the complaint, officers arrived to the home after being called by Braun's girlfriend where they saw Braun laying in a "bloody mess."

Officers discovered Braun on the front porch. He had numerous wounds to his head and body and police found a bloody Samurai sword, bayonet and hammer at the scene.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner ruled Braun's death as a homicide and cited the cause of death as an extensive loss of blood due to multiple traumatic injuries.

On March 24, police brought the three suspects in for questioning and both Luna and Valdez admitted going to Braun's home to collect money for drugs they gave him. Luna said Valdez and Flores Amador began to beat Braun shortly after arriving at his home.