South St. Paul Homicide: Victim Identified as Matthew Lee; Two Men Now Charged in Deadly Shooting
Updated: September 16, 2025, at 5:05 PM.
SOUTH ST PAUL, MINNESOTA— In an update we posted yesterday, Authorities have identified the victim in last week’s South St. Paul shooting as 20-year-old Matthew Robert Lee, a former South St. Paul High School student-athlete and St. Olaf College student. Prosecutors have now charged two men in connection with the violent incident that left Lee dead and another man critically injured.
Victim Identified
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Lee’s death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds following the September 12 shooting inside a residence in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue South. Lee was found unresponsive by officers in an upstairs bedroom and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A GoFundMe campaign has since been established in Lee’s memory, with the funds supporting his mother. The fundraiser describes him as a dedicated athlete and proud alumnus of South St. Paul High School, who has continued his education at St. Olaf College.
Provided by the GoFundMe.
Early Morning Shooting
Around 3:42 a.m. on September 12, South St. Paul police were dispatched to a residence in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue South after a call reported an unresponsive male upstairs. Officers arriving at the scene were flagged down by people outside the home who directed them to an upstairs bedroom.
The door to the room was blocked, and when officers forced it open, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds. Lee was lying on the floor, unresponsive and surrounded by blood. Despite emergency efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man, later identified as Keith Brian Woodson Cox Jr., 20, had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his arms and torso. A tourniquet had been applied to his left arm, and he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
A black Glock handgun was located on a nearby table.
What Led Up to the Shooting
According to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, Lee was not the intended target of the violence. Witness statements and forensic evidence revealed that the deadly confrontation began with an alleged plan by Cox to rob another man present that night, Terrell Anthony Ranzy, 19, of St. Paul.
Court documents show that Cox, Ranzy, Lee, and several others gathered in the small upstairs bedroom — an 11-by-11-foot space crowded with a bed, dresser, desk, and other furniture. Both Cox and Ranzy were armed and had been comparing their handguns: Cox with a Glock 19 fitted with a tan magazine, and Ranzy with a Springfield XD pistol with a black magazine.
While in a nearby bathroom with Lee and another witness, Cox allegedly announced his intention to rob Ranzy of his gun. Both Lee and the witness told him not to go through with it. Nevertheless, when they returned to the bedroom, Cox allegedly pulled out his firearm, pointed it at Ranzy, and demanded his weapon, saying: “I ain’t going to lie, I need you to give me all that shit.”
Ranzy fell backward onto a bed, initially firing a shot into the ceiling. From a crouched position, he then fired multiple rounds, striking both Cox and Lee.
Witness accounts conflict on whether Cox also fired his gun. Still, investigators recovered 14 spent shell casings from the room, a mix of 9mm and .40 caliber, indicating that two firearms were discharged. Two other people inside the room reportedly jumped out of a window to escape the gunfire.
Rough location of the Shooting.
Suspect Arrests
After the shooting, Ranzy fled the residence but attempted to re-enter to retrieve his cell phone. He was turned away, and later located by police hiding in a shed a few blocks away. He was arrested without incident.
Cox, who was gravely injured, remains hospitalized. Due to the seriousness of the charges, prosecutors have requested a warrant to ensure he is taken into custody upon release for his first court appearance.
Charges Against Terrell Anthony Ranzy
Terrell Anthony Ranzy, 19, of St. Paul, has been charged by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office with:
Second-Degree Murder (While Committing a Felony)
Second-Degree Manslaughter (Culpable Negligence)
Possession of a Firearm by an Ineligible Person
According to investigators, Ranzy opened fire during an altercation inside the upstairs bedroom of the residence, striking both Lee and Keith Woodson Cox Jr., 20, of South St. Paul. Ranzy fled the scene but was later arrested in a nearby shed.
Ranzy is barred from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction for threats of violence earlier this year. He remains in custody on $750,000 unconditional bail or $400,000 conditional bail.
Provided by Dakota County Jail, pictured, Suspect Terrell Ranzy.
Charges Against Keith Brian Woodson Cox Jr.
On Monday, prosecutors also charged Keith Brian Woodson Cox Jr., 20, of South St. Paul, with:
Attempted First-Degree Aggravated Robbery
According to the criminal complaint, Cox allegedly pulled out a Glock handgun and attempted to rob Ranzy of his firearm shortly before the shooting began. Witnesses reported that Cox pointed his gun at Ranzy and demanded his weapon, leading to a chaotic exchange of gunfire in the small 11-by-11-foot bedroom crowded with multiple people.
Cox was shot several times during the exchange and remains hospitalized. Prosecutors have requested a warrant to ensure Cox is taken into custody for his first court appearance upon release from the hospital. According to Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena, Woodson Cox is being charged via warrant complaint with first-degree attempted aggravated robbery for his role in the incident.
The prosecution is requesting his bond be set at $500,000 without conditions and $350,000 with conditions. Again, Cox was reported to be gravely injured and remains hospitalized. Due to the seriousness of the charges, prosecutors have requested a warrant to ensure he is taken into custody upon release for his first court appearance.
ORIGINAL STORY: Suspect Arrested Following Early Morning Homicide in South St. Paul
Written By: Will Wight
