Minnesota – In a chilling case out of Minnesota, a 50-year-old man, identified as D. Wright, faces upgraded charges of first-degree murder after ambushing and fatally shooting his 34-year-old girlfriend, identified as M. Samuels, outside her home—minutes after she posted on social media that he was stalking her and police weren’t doing anything about it. Authorities say the killing was not only premeditated but also the final act in a disturbing pattern of control, abuse, and jealousy.
The defendant is accused of lying in wait outside the home of Samuels and opening fire as she stepped into her vehicle on the morning of September 14, 2025. Prosecutors say Wright, who believed Samuels had reconnected with an ex-partner, was obsessed and controlling. His jealousy escalated after the couple’s recent breakup, which was sparked by a previous domestic assault in August where he pistol-whipped her.
Court records show that Wright sent Samuels a string of threatening messages in the weeks leading up to the murder. One such message read, “If you don’t bring your a— home right now I’m bout to blow this b— down,” and another said, “Man, someone going to die tonight.” The threats became reality on the day Wright allegedly carried out the killing in a calculated attack. At around 7:53 a.m., officers responded to a shooting at Samuels’ residence. They found Samuels near her vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and torso. Despite the efforts of paramedics, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Just minutes earlier, Samuels had posted a desperate message on social media calling out Wright’s behavior and the lack of police action: “I was trynna stay silent but stalking me at 4 in the f—ing morning and the police ain’t doing s— or did a [motherf—ing] thing beside serve him a protective order and clearly it’s not doing s— G! F— this!” Eight minutes after that post, she was shot to death.
Witnesses told police they heard multiple rounds of gunfire with a brief pause in between. One man said he saw Samuels lying next to her car with one leg still inside, while a man matching Wright’s description rummaged through the Jeep, retrieved a bicycle, and rode off holding a gun. He even watched the man tuck the firearm into his pocket. Surveillance footage from the scene further corroborated witness accounts, and investigators noted that Samuels had recently filed for a protective order against Wright, citing fear for her safety after the August assault. When questioned by police, Wright didn’t deny what had happened. He reportedly said, “I’m not going to fight this situation,” and later added, “This is not going to be a hard-fought case.”
Wright has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder: one for premeditation and another for committing murder while engaging in a pattern of domestic abuse. If convicted, he faces mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Attorney’s Office stressed the importance of accountability, both for Wright and for the systems that failed to protect Samuels. “She should be alive. She should be with her family,” said Attorney M. Moriarty. “The system failures prior to her death must never be repeated.” Wright remains in custody at the county jail without bond.
