Burnsville man is charged with manslaughter in friend's death

Last update: September 29, 2008 - 11:30 PM

An 18-year-old man who was the prime suspect in his best friend's killing more than a year ago has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death.

Troy Donicht of Burnsville was charged Friday with second-degree manslaughter and ordered to stand trial as an adult in the shooting death of 17-year-old Bryant Garroutte last year. Donicht, who was 16 at the time, originally turned himself in after Garroutte, of Columbia Heights, was found dead in a St. Anthony duplex in March 2007.

According to the criminal charges, Donicht's stepsister called police to report a shooting. When they arrived at the duplex, they found Garroutte with a gunshot wound to the head, holding a .22-caliber revolver in his left hand. It was later determined that Garroutte was right-handed.

Donicht's stepsister and a friend, who had left the house after the shooting, returned and told police that they had dropped Donicht off at his brother's house. While Donicht was in the car, he began saying loudly, "Oh my God, I am going to prison ... oh my God, I shot him," according to the charges.

Donicht turned himself into police about nine hours later, according to news reports. An attorney who spoke on behalf of Donicht at the time of the shooting said it was an accident.

If convicted, Donicht faces between three to 10 years in prison.

LORA PABST