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Man Gets 45 Years For Mendota Heights Crime Spree

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man who pleaded guilty to a murder and violent crime spree has been sentenced to more than 45 years in prison.

Lucifer Nguyen pleaded guilty earlier this week to one charge of second-degree murder and two charges of first-degree aggravated robbery.

Police said it began when Nguyen threatened a grandmother at gunpoint in her own home in Mendota Heights. While running from police, he crashed his car and ran into a senior center, where they say he held an employee at gunpoint. When police found him there, Nguyen ran across the street into a business center.

He shot and killed Beverly Cory in her office, then stole her car.  Officers arrested Nguyen during a traffic stop in Blaine three days later.

"We seldom see random crimes of extreme violence of this nature," Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said. "These senseless acts of violence have devastated the family and friends of Beverly Cory and significantly traumatized the other victims. We are pleased to have brought the defendant to justice. He clearly deserves the lengthy prison sentence he has received."

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