A Minneapolis man has been arrested and charged after allegedly kidnapping a man, robbing and beating him in “George Floyd Square,” and setting one of his own accomplices on fire after he apparently overdosed on fentanyl.
Desmond Durelle Graham, 31, has been charged with kidnapping, first-degree aggravated robbery, third-degree assault, and financial transaction card fraud, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.
At the time of his alleged crimes, Graham was out on bond from a previous first-degree aggravated robbery case, according to Crime Watch Minneapolis.
Along with two accomplices, one of whom was identified as Larry Mosby, Graham carjacked a man in downtown Minneapolis on Mar. 10 and drove him to an abandoned Speedway on the 3700 block of Chicago Ave. S — right where “George Floyd Square” is located, at the intersection with East 38th St. The abandoned gas station is now referred to as “People’s Way.”
A criminal complaint alleges that Graham and his accomplices took their victim inside the gas station, held him hostage, and demanded money. After getting assaulted with a hammer and screwdriver when he said he didn’t have money, the victim tried to escape but was brought back, tied to a “piece of furniture,” and assaulted with kicks and punches until he gave them his banking and debit card information.
The victim told officers he gave up that information because he feared for his life. Graham’s unidentified second accomplice was the one who withdrew $1,000 cash at an ATM on Nicollet Ave. S.
Nearly 90 minutes later, at 2:48am, Graham withdrew more money at another ATM on Nicollet Ave. S. Later he and his accomplices forced the victim back into his car so he could withdraw even more money at his bank. Only then could the victim go free.
While in the car, the victim said he noticed Graham and Mosby using drugs, and the latter ended up passing out at some point. In two futile attempts at reviving Mosby, Graham assaulted him and then drove back to the abandoned gas station and set his torso on fire, according to the complaint.
When the latter attempt failed to return Mosby to consciousness, Graham poured alcohol on his burns and left his body inside the gas station, where officers found and later pronounced Mosby dead.
By this point the victim was able to escape from Graham, run into the nearby Cup Foods, and get an employee to call 911, whereupon Graham fled the scene. Officers arrested him on Mar. 28, two-and-a-half weeks after the incident. Graham’s first court date was scheduled for Thursday.
Evan Stambaugh
Evan Stambaugh is a freelance writer who had previously been a sports blogger. He has a BA in theology and an MA in philosophy.
