St. Paul Man Sentenced To 21 Years In Greenvale Murder, 3 Others Sentenced

HASTINGS, Minn. (WCCO) -- A 30-year-old St. Paul man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for murdering a 55-year-old man in his home in Dakota County last year. Three other people have also been sentenced for their roles in the death.

The Dakota County Attorney's Office announced the sentences late Thursday evening. Nicholas Taylor, who faces 21 years in prison, pleaded guilty in February to one count of second-degree murder in connection to the early July 2021 incident.

Additionally, 36-year-old Timothy Tuit of South St. Paul was sentenced to 92 months in prison for aiding an offender, 23-year-old Ryann Smith of White Bear Lake was sentenced to 80 months in prison for first-degree assault and 26-year-old Stephanie Peabody of Welch was sentenced to nearly a year in jail for aiding an offender.

RELATED: Four Charged In Greenvale Township Murder

Authorities say the victim, Chris Lafontaine, was found deceased inside the bathroom of his Greenvale Township home. He was bound and gagged. An autopsy was conducted and the victim's death was determined to be an asphyxial type death.

The incident occurred after authorities were summoned to reports of a burglary in progress on the 31500 block of Foliage Avenue. A neighbor of Lafontaine stopped by because he hadn't heard from him in a few days and when that person arrived, three people fled the residence in Lafontaine's white Durango.

Shortly after discovering the victim's body, Northfield police officers located the victim's vehicle and after initiating a traffic stop, the suspects fled. Eventually the vehicle stopped and all three suspects fled into a nearby woods. Officers managed to arrest the driver, Peabody and the front seat passenger, Tuit. Taylor was later arrested in Montana along with Smith.

In addition to incarceration, all four have been ordered to pay restitution jointly – over $31,000.