ST PAUL, Minnesota — Editor's note: The video above first aired on KARE 11 on May 9, 2022.
The Dakota County Attorney's Office announced Thursday that a now-18-year-old is being charged with murder in adult court for the death of 17-year-old Anthony Skelley last summer.
Casimir Semlak, of St. Paul, is charged with three counts of second-degree murder for allegedly shooting Skelley outside a home in South St. Paul on May 8, 2022 during an apparent drug deal.
A criminal complaint alleged that Semlak, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was the last person Skelley called and texted from his cell phone.
A man inside the home with Skelley the night of his death told investigators he heard the teenager on the phone saying "ok, I'm coming out," before walking outside. Shortly after the witness heard gunshots.
Police linked the cell phone number and a Cash App account to Semlak. According to the complaint, when Semlak was arrested police found a 9mm handgun with an inserted magazine of bullets that matched the shell casings found at the scene of Skelley's death.
Investigators said Semlak also had the cell phone that was messaging Selley before he was killed.
Following his death, family members told KARE 11 in a statement that Skelley was a junior attending St. Paul Public Schools' Gateway to College program, and had "a beautiful soul with a cheerful presence and a joyful spirit."
Semlak made his first adult court appearance on Thursday, Jan. 12, where a judge set a bail of $1 million. He'll appear in court next on Jan. 26, 2023.
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