Gunman gets 30 years in prison for role in robbery, murder of St. Paul man walking home from work

The 21-year-old shooter who, along with two others, robbed and killed a St. Paul man in an alley as he walked home from work nearly two years ago was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison. prison.

Judge Nicole Starr sentenced Arteze Owen Kinerd to 363 months in St. Cloud Correctional Center for fatally shooting 22-year-old Alex Becker. That sentence includes 518 days of credit for Kinerd's time served, and he could spend the final third of his sentence on supervised release.

Kinerd pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in February. He also pleaded guilty to kidnapping for a separate incident that occurred a few weeks before Becker's death. Although Becker's mother, Tara, hopes to encourage people with her late son's kindness, she said Monday's sentencing has been difficult to process.

“I had to leave the court…I couldn't stand to hear him tell Kinerd everything he could hope for when he got out of prison,” Tara Becker said. “With all the trials and convictions, this brings closure to part of this story for our family. Unfortunately, nothing will help heal our pain and the grief we have. Alex was a very special person and I am very grateful to have been able to be his mother.”

Alex Becker was returning home on December 27, 2022 from his job at Goodin Company, a wholesale distributor of plumbing parts and piping systems where he worked with his father. Security camera footage showed this as Becker entered an alley. Kinerd and two others – Detwan Cortell Allen and another man who was later acquitted – followed. Gunshots rang out moments later and neighbors spotted two people walking away from the scene before leaving in a black car.

Kinerd told the courts he planned to rob Becker that night after passing him in a car with the other two. Kinerd said they did not know Becker before the incident and that he grabbed the gun from one of the men during the attempted robbery.

“What happened between this person and Alex Becker?” Defense attorney Daniel Gonnerman asked Kinerd.

“Alex grabbed his gun,” Kinerd said.

“And what did you do in response to that?”

“Shoot him.”

“OK. How many times have you shot him”

“Eight times.”

St. Paul officers found Becker in that alley minutes later with six gunshot wounds. He died a few meters from his home where his mother was awake and waiting for him.

Judge Paul Yang sentenced Allen to 30 years in prison for his role in Becker's death. Judge JaPaul Harris acquitted another man last December after his defense argued he did not know the other two planned to rob and kill Becker.