A Texas man who came to Minnesota to find work became paranoid while in a Burnsville hotel last week and fatally shot another man, according to a criminal complaint.

Ricky E. Ramirez, 24, of Houston was charged in Dakota County District Court with second-degree murder in connection with the killing of 37-year-old Sheldon J. Williams of South Carolina on Friday in the Burnsville Inn and Suites in the 1100 block of W. Burnsville Parkway.

Ramirez remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail ahead of a court appearance on Aug. 10. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

According to the complaint:

Police were notified of gunfire at the hotel about 6:20 p.m. and found Ramirez on the second floor with a handgun near his feet. While being handcuffed, Ramirez directed police to a door, where "they have an AR [rifle], and they have 100 more," the complaint quoted him as saying.

Ramirez then pointed to the body of Williams in the hall. He had been shot in the head and was declared dead at the scene.

Ramirez Credit: Dakota County jail

Officers learned that Ramirez was from Texas and had come to Minnesota recently with his girlfriend and his father to work. The girlfriend said the three of them arrived last Wednesday.

Hotel security video showed Williams leaving a room and appearing to be unarmed before he was shot six times.

Paul Walsh