Suspect Charged After Fatal Apartment Complex Shooting Claims Three Lives

 A devastating shooting inside a St. Paul apartment complex leasing office has left three families grieving the loss of Nansi G. Fuentes Zambrano, Dena M. Silcox, and Adam J. Wilwerding. The violence unfolded in a place where routine conversations about housing turned into a deadly scene, shocking the Highland Park community and leaving residents searching for answers.

According to the St. Paul Police Department, officers were called around 4:10 p.m. Monday to an apartment complex leasing office near St. Paul Avenue and West Seventh Street after reports of multiple gunshots. When officers arrived, they found three people suffering from fatal gunshot wounds inside the office. All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene as investigators immediately began a homicide investigation.

Authorities identified the victims as 25-year-old Nansi G. Fuentes Zambrano of Inver Grove Heights, 56-year-old Dena M. Silcox of St. Paul, and 43-year-old Adam J. Wilwerding of Oakdale. Their deaths have created a wave of grief among loved ones, neighbors, and community members who are mourning three lives lost in a sudden act of violence. Each victim is being remembered by those who knew them as a person with their own story, relationships, and connections.

Prosecutors have charged 30-year-old Tsegaab Binessu of St. Paul with three counts of second-degree murder in connection with the shooting. Authorities said Binessu allegedly fled the Twin Cities area after the killings and was later arrested in Virginia, Minnesota, more than 180 miles away. Deputies with the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office took him into custody without incident, and investigators said he was allegedly driving Fuentes Zambrano’s vehicle at the time of his arrest.

The criminal complaint outlines the allegations investigators say led to the deadly encounter. Prosecutors said Binessu had contacted the apartment complex earlier that day regarding a parking garage contract and was told he remained responsible for the agreement. Court documents allege he later went to the leasing office to discuss the matter, where surveillance footage reportedly showed him speaking with employees before the shooting occurred.

According to investigators, Binessu allegedly pulled out a handgun during the conversation and opened fire inside the office. Prosecutors said Wilwerding and Silcox were each shot multiple times, while additional gunfire was later heard before Fuentes Zambrano was found fatally wounded. Crime scene investigators recovered 21 spent shell casings from inside the leasing office as authorities worked to document the evidence.

The investigation also revealed information from Binessu’s roommate, who prosecutors say contacted police after the shooting. The roommate allegedly told investigators that Binessu admitted going to the leasing office and killing three people before saying he planned to surrender. Authorities said Binessu later discussed personal frustrations involving his life circumstances, including difficulties bringing his wife and children from Ethiopia to the United States, though prosecutors continue reviewing the full circumstances surrounding the case.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi described the killings as a devastating act of violence that deeply affected the community. He thanked law enforcement agencies involved in locating and arresting the suspect while expressing sympathy for the victims’ families and friends. Binessu is scheduled for an initial court appearance, and the investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue examining evidence and possible motives.

The deaths of Nansi Fuentes Zambrano, Dena Silcox, and Adam Wilwerding have left St. Paul mourning three members of its community. As the legal process moves forward, their loved ones continue carrying the weight of an unimaginable loss. The victims’ memories remain with the people who knew them, while the community hopes for justice and healing after a tragedy that changed many lives forever.