A man was sentenced Thursday to a 25 ½-year term for his role in a shooting last summer in a West St. Paul apartment that left a man dead next to his toddler.

A first-degree murder count against Terrell T. Payne, 20, of Little Canada, was dismissed in Dakota County District Court in exchange for admitting to second-degree murder in connection with the July 2019 killing of 21-year-old Lawrence T. Renfro.

With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Payne will serve the first 15¾ years of his sentence in prison and the balance on supervised release.

Nathan W. Mcdonald, 23, of Oakdale, pleaded guilty to shooting Renfro and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 for second-degree murder. A first-degree murder count also was dismissed in his case.

Prosecutors say a friend of Renfro's went to the apartment and found Renfro dead on the couch and his 2-year-old sitting next to him. Renfro had been shot five times, including once in the head.

The apartment had been leased to Mcdonald's sister, who lived with Renfro before they had a "falling out," according to the charges. Mcdonald's sister said she moved out on July 6 after Renfro had assaulted her.

Payne

Three days later, Payne told police that he and Mcdonald went in the apartment, and Renfro woke up and ordered the two to "get out of here." Mcdonald then shot Renfro.