Bloomington man pleads guilty to murdering his wife, attempted murder of neighbor
Credit: Bloomington PD
A Bloomington man has pleaded guilty to murdering his wife and wounding his neighbors – one of them a 12-year-old girl – and will likely face a sentence of more than 48 years.
Jason Mesich, 48, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of his wife, 47-year-old Angela Lynn Mesich on Aug. 30, 2020, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
Mesich also pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault of his two neighbors and first-degree assault of a Bloomington police officer.
Mesich admitted to shooting his wife 12 times on Aug. 30 at around 11 p.m. in their Bloomington garage, using all of the bullets in his semi-automatic gun.
After the murder, Mesich went outside and fired shots at the neighbors, 29-year-old Canisha Saulter and her then 12-year-old sister Makayla Saulter-Outlaw, who was holding her 1-year-old niece at the time.
Mesich said he did not know if there was an exchange between him and the neighbors, or if it “just happened.”
Saulter-Outlaw was shot in the head by Mesich, with her older sister shot in the leg, left hip and her right ankle. The now 13-year-old was released from the hospital in November, and continues her recovery at home.
On the night of the shooting, officers responded to a report of shots fired at the house. Mesich, in his basement with several firearms, heard officers call through the door. In a recent criminal complaint, Mesich admitted to reaching around the staircase and firing at an officer. One bullet struck a car outside.
Mesich will face sentencing in March. As a result of his guilty plea, Mesich is expected to face a 583 months sentence: 367 months for the murder, 180 months for the attempted murder, and 36 months for the assault. Mesich will also serve 134 months for the assault of the officer, but that sentence can be served concurrently.
