Man Charged In Minneapolis Mechanic's Beating Death

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 24-year-old man is accused of killing a neighborhood mechanic in Minneapolis on Sunday while work was being done on his car, according to charges filed Tuesday in Hennepin County Court.

Rondell Russell Camp was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old Steve Parker Sr.

According to the charges, Minneapolis police and first responders assisted Camp in the alley on the 3700 block of Aldrich Ave. N. early Sunday night after witnesses saw him crawling through the alley. He was screaming, and in pain. Camp told officers there was a dead body in a nearby garage.

A witness investigated, and found Parker on the garage floor. Authorities pronounced him dead at the scene. The complaint states he had several cuts to his head and broken bones in his face. He also had a stab wound on the left side of his neck, under his ear. Officers found a pool of blood under his head, and a box wrench was found under his shoulder. There was also blood on the car and several other surfaces.

The complaint states Parker repaired cars in the garage often, and witnesses told police they heard a loud argument inside the garage. Camp was then heard screaming in pain in the alley.

Police went with Camp to the hospital for treatment of a leg injury, but had no injuries that were consistent with blood on his hands, face and clothing. He told police he drove to Parker's garage when, in fact, he owned the car already in the garage.

According to the complaint, Camp told family members as he was going to the hospital that he was going to jail. Camp is making his first court appearance on Wednesday.