Roger Voss Charged In Fatal Election Day Shooting In St. Paul

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 23-year-old man is facing murder charges for a fatal shooting in St. Paul on Election Day.

Roger Voss, of Newport, is charged with one count of second-degree murder without intent and one count of felony gun possession, court documents filed in Ramsey County show.

According to a criminal complaint, police responded to the shooting Tuesday afternoon at a home on the 2200 block of 7th Street West, in the city's Highland Park neighborhood.

In the upper unit of a duplex, they found 42-year-old Ruben Adrian Paramo, of St. Paul, with several gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office says Paramo had 16 bullet holes in his body, investigators say.

Officers responding to the shooting spotted Voss speeding away from the scene on a motorcycle, heading east toward downtown St. Paul. Police gave chase, pursuing Voss as he sped along West 7th Street, running several red lights.

The chase ended when Voss stopped in downtown St. Paul, where officers arrested him. They found a handgun on him and loaded magazine in his pocket. Officers noted that it appeared the bullets inside were deformed, as if dented by an object.

When speaking with investigators, Voss said that he was at the house to buy drugs from someone who tried to rob him at gunpoint, the complaint said.

Voss told officers that the man struck him in the head with a handgun and shot at him, with the bullet hitting the handgun magazine in his pocket. Voss said he feared for his life, but did not say whether or not he shot the man.

At the scene of the shooting, police found several shell casings, drugs, drug paraphernalia, as well as blood and signs of struggle. However, no other gun was found.

Investigators interviewed several people who live in the duplex. They reported hearing several gunshots and that surveillance video showed a motorcycle pulling up to the home prior to the shooting.

If convicted of the murder charge, Voss faces up to 40 years in prison. Voss remains in custody. According to the complaint, his bail was set at $1 million.