An argument and fight led to the stabbing death of a 21-year-old man on an Apple Valley sidewalk early Sunday, according to murder charges against the alleged killer, who police say remains on the run.
Aron Isait Medina Rojas, 20, of Minneapolis, was charged Tuesday by a sealed warrant complaint with second-degree intentional murder in connection with the killing of Daniel Isaac Aguilar near the intersection of Pennock Avenue and 138th Street.
Daniel Isaac Aguilar (Courtesy of GoFundMe)
An autopsy by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office showed Aguilar died of multiple stab wounds, including one to the left side of his chest. The coroner’s office listed his residence as Burnsville, while the Dakota County Attorney’s Office said Thursday he lived in Apple Valley.
“As our family begins to process this unimaginable loss and make arrangements, we want to thank everyone who has reached out with love, prayers, and support,” Aguilar’s aunt, Andrea Rodriguez, wrote on a GoFundMe page (gofund.me/547385b0) set up for funeral expenses. “Your kindness means more than words can express.”
On Tuesday, Apple Valley police named Medina Rojas as a suspect in the killing and asked for help in locating him. He drives a 2018 gray Chrysler 300 with the Minnesota license plate number JPU 845 and might be trying to escape authorities by fleeing to Mexico, police said.
According to the Dakota County District Court criminal complaint, which was unsealed Thursday:
About 3:12 p.m., police were called to the residential neighborhood on the report of an unresponsive man lying on the sidewalk. They found Aguilar covered in blood and unresponsive. His body was still warm to the touch. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Surveillance video from the surrounding area showed Aguilar walking on the sidewalk at 2:38 a.m. near where his body was later found. He walked out of camera range.
A minute later, vehicle headlights came into view and then the voices of two males and possibly a female could be heard out of camera range. The voices were “elevated, as if they were arguing,” the complaint states.
Medina Rojas is seen on video walking toward Aguilar, who backed away. He struck Aguilar in his left chest, to which Aguilar said, “I’m (expletive) walking home bro. Let me be,” the complaint states. Medina Rojas then punched Aguilar in the throat and Aguilar collapsed onto the sidewalk. Medina Rojas walked away.
Aron Isait Medina Rojas (Courtesy of the Apple Valley Police Department)
Investigators met with Aguilar’s family and were told that he had been with his girlfriend the night before in Minneapolis.
His girlfriend told investigators that she and Aguilar got into an argument while at a club in Minneapolis. They left the club and drove to an Apple Valley bus station parking lot and continued arguing.
She said her friend called and said she was going to pick her up.
Video surveillance showed Aguilar walking away right as the friend and her boyfriend, Medina Rojas, pulled into the parking lot.
Aguilar’s girlfriend told investigators she was upset and crying because of the argument. She said her friend and Medina Rojas insisted on driving her to a friend’s house so that she wouldn’t pick up Aguilar.
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She said they saw Aguilar walking and that Medina Rojas asked her if he had a “strap on,” which she understood to be a gun. Her friend and Medina Rojas dropped her off and left.
The friend contacted police later Sunday and gave a statement. She confirmed what Aguilar’s girlfriend told investigators, adding they soon saw Aguilar walking after dropping her off.
She said Medina Rojas stopped the car, and that she got out and confronted Aguilar. She said he became aggressive with her, prompting Medina Rojas to exit the car. A fight between the two men ensued. She claimed she saw Aguilar extend his arm before sitting down on the sidewalk. Medina Rojas returned to the car with blood on his shirt and told her they had to leave.
Apple Valley police urge anyone who sees Medina Rojas to call 911. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call police at 952-322-2323.
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