Minnesota mother of two killed by ex-boyfriend minutes after posting on Facebook that he was stalking her

A Minnesota mother of two was shot to death by her ex-boyfriend minutes after she wrote on Facebook that he was stalking her, according to police and local reports. Mariah Rosanna Samuels, 34, was fatally struck multiple times while sitting in the driver’s seat of her Jeep, with witnesses saying a man on a bicycle rode away from the scene. Authorities say the suspect, David Eugene Wright, 50, was identified by a neighbor’s security camera and was arrested on Monday after being traced in the investigation.

In police accounts, Samuels had posted a warning on social media shortly before the shooting, signaling that a recently filed restraining order against Wright was not stopping his behavior. Eight minutes after the post, Samuels was killed, a sequence that witnesses described to investigators and that local outlets reported on Monday. Wright remained in custody as the case moved through the early stages of processing.

Authorities say Samuels had sought protection for herself and one of her sons against Wright on Aug. 26, in response to a prior incident days earlier. The Star Tribune reported that Wright had tracked Samuels to a residence a few blocks from where she was dropping off her son on Aug. 21, and confronted her on the street. Prosecutors cited a lengthy confrontation in which Wright allegedly held a gun to Samuels’ head and choked her against a fence, threatening to kill her. Those details, reported by local media, helped shape the subsequent charges and the safety orders.

The county’s top prosecutor’s office confirmed the ongoing review of the case. Spokesman Daniel Borgertpoepping said the office would thoroughly assess the evidence when the case is submitted and emphasized the commitment to accountability for such crimes. Wright faces charges of second-degree manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with Samuels’ death, according to Law and Crime.

The investigation continues as authorities seek to determine all the events that led to the shooting and to ensure any additional witnesses or evidence are considered. Community members have expressed condolences for Samuels and her family as investigators pursue a complete account of the sequence of events that culminated in this fatal confrontation.

Further details from official filings and court records are expected as the case advances, and prosecutors prepare to present findings to a judge. Wright is being held in the county jail while authorities prepare formal charging documents and advance the case through the legal process.