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Minnesota Supreme Court reverses conviction in real estate agent's 2019 killing

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Minnesota Supreme Court reverses conviction in real estate agent's 2019 killing
  • The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed the murder and kidnapping convictions of Elsa Segura on Wednesday.
  • Segura was initially found guilty of aiding and abetting first-degree murder in the 2019 death of Monique Baugh, a real estate agent who was killed after being lured to a fake home showing.
  • “We are duty-bound to ensure that a defendant in a criminal trial is not convicted based on insufficient evidence or erroneous jury instructions that were not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt,” the court’s ruling said.

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday reversed the murder and kidnapping convictions of a former probation officer who was sentenced to life without parole for her role in the death of a Minneapolis real estate agent.

The state’s highest court ruled that Elsa Segura is entitled to a new trial because prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence to sustain convictions on two of the four charges, and that the trial judge gave the jury erroneous instructions about determining her criminal liability.

A jury in 2021 found Segura guilty of aiding and abetting premeditated first-degree murder in the New Year’s Eve 2019 killing of Monique Baugh. Prosecutors say Segura lured Baugh to a phony home showing in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove.

MINNEAPOLIS MAN CLEARED OF TRIPLE HOMICIDE GETS 26 YEARS FOR KIDNAPPING

In the early hours of 2020, Baugh was found shot to death in a Minneapolis alley. Three other defendants were sentenced to life without parole in what prosecutors said was a scheme aimed at getting revenge against Baugh’s boyfriend, Jon Mitchell-Momoh, a recording artist who had a falling out with Lydon Wiggins, a former music business associate of his, who was also a drug dealer. Baugh’s boyfriend, who Wiggins allegedly considered a snitch, was also shot but survived.

The state Supreme Court affirmed the convictions of two of the other defendants earlier while its ruling on Wiggins, the alleged leader of the plot, remains pending.

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A woman charged in the death of Minneapolis real estate agent Monique Baugh is entitled to a new trial, the Minnesota Supreme Court determined. (Fox News)

“We realize that our opinion may result in another trial involving these difficult facts and intensify the grief of those affected by the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on Baugh and her boyfriend,” the ruling said. “Nevertheless, we are duty-bound to ensure that a defendant in a criminal trial is not convicted based on insufficient evidence or erroneous jury instructions that were not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Segura admitted during her trial that she set up the sham home showing. She testified that she thought she was helping Wiggins with his drug business. But she maintained that she did not know of any plan to kidnap and murder Baugh.

The majority said the evidence was sufficient to convict Segura of aiding and abetting in first-degree felony murder while committed a kidnapping, and to commit great bodily harm. But they said the evidence was not strong enough to convict her of aiding and abetting first-degree premeditated murder, or premeditated attempted murder.

It’s reasonable to infer from the circumstances as a whole that Segura believed that the original goal of the plot was something less serious than premediated murder, perhaps a kidnapping and assault, the ruling said.

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But the ruling said the trial judge’s error in the jury instructions — misstating the law on the liability of accomplices — was serious enough that it could have affected the verdicts. So the high court threw out her convictions and sent the case back to the lower court for further proceedings on the remaining kidnapping and felony murder charges.

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North Dakota

Hartford woman takes home the Miss South Dakota crown

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Hartford woman takes home the Miss South Dakota crown


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Kianna Healy of Hartford, South Dakota, was crowned Miss South Dakota 2026 at the competition on May 30.

Twenty-seven women competed for the title, which was a record number of candidates, according to a community announcement.

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Healy, 23, graduated from O’Gorman High School and Pace University, where she majored in film and arts and entertainment management.

Healy won a $13,000 scholarship, a $1,000 preliminary talent award, a $500 preliminary fitness award and the $500 Callee Bauman Wachter top performing arts award.

Healy’s community service initiative is The Second Chance Project. For her talent, she performed “I’m a Star” by Scott Alan.

She is set to represent South Dakota at the Miss America Competition in September.

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First runner-up was Amelie Wilcox of Rapid City, who earned a $5,000 scholarship. Wilcox also received the $5,000 South Dakota Strong award, the overall interview award ($1,000), a $1,000 community service award and the $500 Hunter Widvey Medical scholarship. She also took home the $1,000 Ray Peterson Rookie of the Year award for being the highest placing delegate competing at Miss South Dakota for the first time.

Second runner-up was Sydney Morgan of Hot Springs, who received a $4,000 scholarship and the $500 STEM scholarship. Third runner-up was Katie Milbrandt of Brookings, who earned a $3,000 scholarship and the $1,000 Quality of Life Award. Briley Steffensen of Hartford was fourth runner-up and won a preliminary fitness award, totaling $2,500 in awards and scholarships.

The top ten semi-finalists, each receiving a $750 scholarship, were Thea Tanton of Brookings, Lilly Mae Blume of Redfield, Javonte Madsen of Sioux Falls, Rylin Yerdon of Harrisburg and Natalie Biegler of Timber Lake. Tanton and Biegler tied for the preliminary talent award.

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Additional awards included Laney Titze of Mitchell receiving $1,000 in the South Dakota Strong competition. Olivia Granaas, Jensine Matson and Taysan Rouselle each won $500 in the same category. Kyla Andvik of Fargo, North Dakota, earned the most talented non-semifinalist award ($250), while Jenisha Gurung received the highest score for non-finalist in interview ($250). The top fundraiser award ($500) went to Jayden Bender.

Miss Congeniality ($500) was awarded to Miss Northern State University Evelynn Carlson of Aberdeen. Each non-semi-finalist received a $300 scholarship, with total scholarships exceeding $60,000 for all participants.

This story was created by reporter Charles Rankin, crankin@salina.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.



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Ohio

Twisted logic means an Ohio domestic abuser can get his gun back | Opinion

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Twisted logic means an Ohio domestic abuser can get his gun back | Opinion



An Ohio common pleas court ruled that a man with two misdemeanors and one felony domestic violence conviction couldn’t have his right to bear arms restored. the Supreme Court disagreed.

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Ray Marcano is a Columbus Dispatch contributing columnist.

A bill working its way through the Ohio House would create a repeat domestic violence offender registry that’s patterned after Tennessee’s recently passed law.

Now, the bill’s proponents should go further and include a measure that prohibits anyone convicted of domestic violence from owning a firearm or getting those rights restored.

This issue surfaced after the Allen County Court of Common Pleas ruled that, under federal law, a man convicted of two misdemeanors and one felony count of domestic violence couldn’t have his right to bear arms restored.

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An appeals court and now the Supreme Court disagreed, and the case is heading back to Allen County, which will decide whether the man, Patrick Heffley, can get his guns back.

The laws that govern how a citizen can lose the right to possess firearms and the appeals process for regaining that right are complicated.

They shouldn’t be, at least not in Ohio.

Just say no.

Flaw in our law must be fixed

Under federal law, anyone convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor charge can’t possess a firearm.  But Ohio law doesn’t automatically take away guns in these cases, so courts decide whether to restore rights.

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That shouldn’t be.

Currently, judges determine whether an offender has been reformed and is likely to continue leading a law-abiding life. Maybe the person has turned over a new leaf and has become a respected, productive community member. That would be great.

Just say no.

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Those are three easy words, especially since 157 people died as a result of domestic violence in the 12 months ending June 2025, the most in a decade, according to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network.

More than eight in 10 deaths involved a firearm, showing there’s no way someone convicted of domestic violence should own a gun, even if the offense happened decades ago.

So, this gives the bill’s sponsors an opportunity to fix a flaw in the law.

I know the arguments that would justify inaction. There’s no guarantee that mirroring federal law will stop deaths here. We’re a society of second chances and should embrace those who have repented.

That’s true, but society also has laws with consequences for disobeying them. One should be straightforward.

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If you beat up your partner in an act of violence, you lose the ability to own a weapon that can be used to perpetrate more violence.

Ohio’s proposed law, House Bill 846, by Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp., and Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati, would mandate repeat offenders register for anywhere for two to 10 years with their name, photo, date of birth and location.

Plummer and Thomas should add to their bill and ban these offenders from having firearms.

That should be.

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Ray Marcano is a Columbus Dispatch contributing columnist. The longtime journalist is the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow.



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South Dakota

SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for June 4, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 4 drawing

06-13-19-28-34, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
  • Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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