Two men were charged with first-degree murder Thursday by a Hennepin County grand jury in the death of former college basketball star Howard Porter, bringing to three the total facing trial in the case.

Rashad Raleigh and Fredquinzo R. (Snake Eyes) King, both 29, are charged in the murder of the Ramsey County probation officer, who disappeared last May and was found in a north Minneapolis alley, savagely beaten and robbed. The indictment didn't provide any new details on what might have happened to the 58-year-old former Villanova University basketball star, who had struggled with cocaine addiction.

Raleigh had previously been charged in Ramsey County with second-degree murder, but this is the first time King has been formally tied to Porter's death. King was arrested in the fall in North Carolina on an unrelated matter. He has five Minnesota convictions, including three felony-level drug offenses, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's website.

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Paul Scoggin, managing attorney for the violent crimes division, declined to discuss what role the men are believed to have played in Porter's death.

He said the case is now being handled in Hennepin County because that's where Porter's body was found. Initially, Scoggin said it was sent over because too many people in Ramsey County's court system knew the victim from his work.

The indictment charges both men with two felony charges each of first-degree murder. The first charge alleges they intentionally aided, advised, hired, counseled or conspired with others to cause the death of Porter on or about May 26, 2007.

The second charge alleges the same "while committing or attempting to commit the crime of aggravated robbery."

Also previously charged in the case is Tonya E. Johnson, Raleigh's one-time roommate. She was charged last fall with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Scoggin said he didn't know whether the two defendants would be tried together or separately. Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Mike Furnstahl will prosecute the men.

Raleigh and King are friends, said St. Paul Police spokesman Tom Walsh, who also said he didn't expect anyone else to be charged in the case.

Johnson, 33, previously claimed that Porter had agreed to exchange money and crack for sex. But a report filed in a complaint against her said Porter did not have any controlled substances in his blood when he died.

Crack or cocaine, however, can disappear from the blood within hours.

Porter was hospitalized for eight days before his death but never regained consciousness.

Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747