Charges filed in Minneapolis murder; shooter sentenced in unrelated case

A Minneapolis man was charged Friday with murder in the fatal beating of a man whose body was disposed of in a culvert.

Ivan Contreras-Sanchez, 40, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with one count each of unintentional second-degree murder and intentional second-degree murder in the death of Manuel Mandujano.

The charges allege that Contreras-Sanchez had called Mandujano, 39, of Minneapolis, a "snitch" the day he was beaten, but did not elaborate.

According to the criminal complaint: Mandujano's body was found in a Dakota County culvert on April 26. His hands were bound behind his back and his foot was impaled by a nail. An unspecified "device" found near his body was linked to Contreras-Sanchez's e-mail address. The device's location history led police to a gas station in Inver Grove Heights, where police recovered "digital evidence" of two cars arriving and one man buying a Lipton Brisk fruit punch drink. A bottle of the same drink was found near Mandujano's body, the charges said.

An informant told police Mandujano's body was moved after he was killed at a Minneapolis house. Police found evidence of blood spatter in the house's basement, and the renter allegedly told them she believed two men had beaten Mandujano.

Police arrested Contreras-Sanchez on Nov. 2. He denied involvement in the case then later said he had gotten in a fight with Mandujano before the incident, saw others assault him and transported his body to Dakota County, the charges said.

Contreras-Sanchez also showed police videos from his cellphone that depicted him talking to Mandujano, whose eyes were swollen shut, according to the complaint. Blood covered Mandujano's face and clothes.

In an unrelated case, Shantaello Christianson, 31, of Minneapolis, was sentenced Friday in Hennepin County District Court to 10 years in prison for fatally shooting Imez Wright at a memorial for George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police in 2020.

Christianson pleaded guilty last month to first-degree manslaughter and illegal weapons possession.

According to the criminal complaint: A man with Christianson got into an argument with Wright on March 6 outside of Cup Foods, and Christianson shot Wright multiple times. Wright, a 30-year-old father of two, was working security on the street corner. Prosecutors alleged that the two men were members of the Rollings 30s Bloods and that several members had a falling out.

Friends said Wright worked for Change Inc., was part of a team of 10 social service staffers who mentor Black youth in St. Paul and was training to be a mental health practitioner.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708