First of three men sentenced in double murder at St. Paul motel

A St. Paul man was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison for his role in a double murder last year at the Midway Motel.

Ronald L. Conway, 31, was sentenced in Ramsey County District Court to 18 years in prison for the death of Dominique Charles Moss and 40 years for the death of Nicholas Bennett Tousley. The sentences will run concurrently.

Jurors convicted Conway in December of two counts of aiding and abetting second-degree murder without intent and one count of aiding and abetting second-degree murder with intent. He was acquitted of two counts of aiding and abetting first-degree murder and a count of aiding and abetting second-degree murder with intent.

Cass Cordel O'Neal, the shooter, and Eric John Benner, the getaway driver, pleaded guilty to their roles in the March 22 crime and await sentencing.

Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Janice Barker said the three men had gone to the motel so Conway could collect a debt from Tousley, who was the target. Moss rented the room where the shooting began, she said.

"Every day that goes by … I hurt so bad," Moss' mother, Nadine Moss, told the court in her victim impact statement. "This has been a complete nightmare. … I hope they suffer for the rest of their lives."

Moss said her son aspired to become a police officer.

"The way Nicholas was murdered will haunt us until our own deaths," Yarney read.

The Tousleys said their son was a "gentle giant" who struggled with drug addiction after being prescribed pain medication at the age of 19 for a jaw infection. He sought treatment in the Twin Cities, and was nonviolent, said his parents and sister.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708 Twitter: @ChaoStrib