Summary: Yusuf Ali Salat, 25, has been charged with second-degree murder after neighbors in Richfield reported seeing him "dragging a dead body" from an apartment at about 3:12 a.m. on Dec. 13. Officers found heavy blood evidence inside the unit and the victim, a 23-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at Fairview Southdale. An autopsy found a single gunshot wound to the back of the shoulder that traversed the liver. Police also recovered a Glock 9mm and large quantities of suspected marijuana and a cocaine-positive substance; bail is set at $500,000.
25-Year-Old Charged With Murder After Neighbors Report He 'Dragged A Dead Body' From Richfield Apartment
Hennepin County JailMugshot for Yusuf Ali Salat
A 25-year-old man, identified as Yusuf Ali Salat, has been charged with second-degree murder after neighbors in Richfield, Minnesota, reported seeing him "dragging a dead body" from an apartment in the early hours of Dec. 13, authorities say.
Calls to Police and Initial Scene
According to a Richfield Police Department press release and a statement of probable cause, officers received numerous emergency calls at approximately 3:12 a.m. reporting that a man was carrying what appeared to be an unconscious or deceased person out of an apartment and loading that person into a vehicle. A 911 caller told investigators she saw a man carrying a bleeding woman who "already appeared dead," and that she told the man to stop but he left the building before police arrived.
Hennepin County JailMugshot for Yusuf Ali Salat
Evidence Inside the Unit
When officers reached the building, they observed what appeared to be blood splatters on the ground and along a hallway wall. Following the stains, police found an apartment door with visible blood and, after entering, discovered a large amount of apparent blood on the carpet and walls of the unit's entryway.
Vehicle, Hospital, and Victim
Officers located a vehicle believed to be involved; witnesses reported it was speeding and ran a red light. The car later stopped at the emergency department at Fairview Southdale, where the person in the backseat was removed and pronounced dead. The Richfield Police Department has said the victim was a 23-year-old woman; her identity has not been released.
Hennepin County JailMugshot for Yusuf Ali Salat
Statement, Autopsy, and Weapon Evidence
The probable cause statement says Salat told investigators the woman shot herself. However, an autopsy determined the victim suffered a single gunshot wound to the back of the shoulder and that the bullet traversed her liver. Investigators located a Glock 9mm handgun in the snow outside the apartment balcony; a 9mm magazine was found in a trash bag on the balcony and a casing was recovered nearby.
Drugs Found in Apartment
Officers also reported finding large quantities of suspected drugs in the unit. Items documented in the court filing include:
Getty Images/iStockphotoStock photo of a police patrol car at night
- Two packages above the refrigerator that field-tested positive for marijuana, weighing approximately 445.91 g and 440.52 g;
- Two additional packages in a kitchen cabinet of about 200 g and 137.70 g of presumed marijuana;
- Approximately 71.56 g of a rock-like substance that field-tested positive for cocaine in another cabinet;
- About 75.79 g of presumed marijuana seized from behind the living room couch.
Charges, Bail and Next Steps
Salat is charged with second-degree murder (without intent while committing a felony) and first-degree possession of 50 grams or more of cocaine or methamphetamine, tied to the substances recovered. He was booked at Hennepin County Jail with bail set at $500,000. His next scheduled court appearance is Wednesday, Dec. 17, according to booking records.
The investigation remains active. Police and court documents cited by media outlets and the department provide the basis for the charges; prosecutorial decisions and case outcomes will be determined through the court process.
