A St. Paul man pleaded guilty Friday in the July murder of British Autavia Morris-Rice.
DeMarcus L. Barnett, 30, pleaded guilty in Ramsey County District Court to one count of second-degree murder for the July 19 killing on St. Paul's West Side.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Barnett: Morris-Rice, her male companion and Barnett were at a party with others that night on E. Delos Street. Witnesses told police that Barnett scuffled with Morris-Rice's companion about 11:30 p.m. Surveillance video corroborated witness accounts.
One witness told police that he saw two groups of men arguing and heard a woman yell, "Just leave! Stop being disrespectful to people."
Surveillance video showed one man chase another, Morris-Rice drive out of a parking lot and a man identified as Barnett pointing a gun at the car being driven by Morris-Rice.
Morris-Rice, 22, crashed the car near Robert and George Streets after being shot. She died nine hours later after being removed from life support at Regions Hospital.
Barnett is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17.
