Released convict charged in St. Paul murder, assault

Having already served a lengthy prison stint for shooting and paralyzing a pizza delivery man nearly 16 years ago, a 42-year-old man now stands charged with murdering one person and wounding another outside a St. Paul home this summer.

Andre T. Johnson, of Ironton, Minn., was charged Thursday in Ramsey County District Court with second-degree murder and second-degree assault in the shooting death of Roy Burgess, 50, of St. Paul, and the wounding of another man in connection with heroin dealing.

According to the criminal complaint:

Johnson plotted with his mother to rob Burgess at his home in the 400 block of Arlington Avenue E. on July 6.

Johnson's mother told Burgess' neighbor Harold Hill that her son targeted Burgess because he was known to carry large sums of cash from dealing heroin.

All parties allegedly knew one another because of their involvement with a drug-selling scheme, according to the county attorney's office.

Shortly before midnight, Johnson confronted Burgess with a rifle as he left his apartment with a friend. Johnson shot Burgess to death and wounded the other man in the leg and buttocks, the complaint says.

Under questioning, Johnson denied having any involvement in Burgess' death.

In 1997, Johnson was convicted in Ramsey County of first-degree assault and illegal possession of a firearm for shooting pizza delivery man Troy Kelsey in St. Paul three times, leaving the 23-year-old victim paralyzed from the waist down.

Johnson was sentenced to more than 18 years in prison, making him eligible for release after more than 12 years. He was freed in March 2010, with his supervised release continuing until May 2015.

Johnson apologized in court at sentencing but maintained that he was celebrating New Year's by blindly shooting out of an East Side apartment window, accidentally hitting Kelsey as he returned to his truck after delivering a pizza to Johnson's girlfriend.