Charges say teens robbed dying victim as he begged for help

Four teenage boys were charged Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old as he sat in a vehicle parked in a suburban Twin Cities neighborhood.

The three older teens were charged in Anoka County District Court with second-degree murder after the four were arrested Tuesday by various law enforcement agencies stemming from the death in Ramsey of Diamond Eddie Manly, of Brooklyn Park.

Charged are 17-year-olds Prince Mussa Alie, of Ramsey, and Malik Doutai-Jamar Perales, of St. Paul; 16-year-old Dandre Joseph-Luis Perales, of St. Paul' and a 15-year-old from Coon Rapids who has since turned 16. The Peraleses are brothers.

The identity of the youngest teenager is legally restricted from being made public. The charge against him has yet to be disclosed.

The County Attorney’s Office said it intends to pursue having all four tried as adults. Should that happen, the 15-year-old’s name and the count filed would be made public.

The four appeared in court late Thursday morning and remain in custody ahead of further hearings in the coming weeks.

Manly was a senior at Champlin Park High School and recently signed up to join the Army, his foster mother told law enforcement.

A wounded Manly made choking noises and repeatedly said “help” as he was being robbed of money and marijuana cartridges, Alie told police.

According to the charges filed in juvenile court:

On March 2, officers in Ramsey were sent to the 14600 block of Snowy Owl Street about 8:30 a.m. and found Manly slumped over in the driver’s seat with a gunshot to the head.

“No cash, wallet or credit cards belong to [Manly] were found in the vehicle,” the charges read.

Video from a home ring camera captured the vehicle’s headlights bouncing as it went over the curb and came to a halt on a lawn. Voices on the video were heard saying, “Grab it! Give it here!” Gunfire quickly followed.

Manly’s former girlfriend told police he texted her that night saying he was selling marijuana cartridges. He sent her a photo of a bag holding cartridges.

A cellphone in the vehicle belonging to Manly revealed messages linking the 15-year-old to the shooting. The phone’s data also led police to the other teenagers.

Police searched the teens' homes Tuesday. In the Perales brothers’ bedroom, they found the same brand of cartridge that Manly had with him that night, “a large amount of currency,” the barrel for a handgun, several unfired ammunition cartridges and a magazine.

Alie told police that the four of them came to his home that evening. Malik Perales said he wanted marijuana cartridges and to rob someone.

The 15-year-old stayed behind while the others took an Uber to meet Manly.

Manly arrived at the arranged location. Malik Perales asked to see the cartridges. As Manly started to drive off, Malik Perales pulled out a gun from his backpack and shot him.

The car rolled onto the lawn, and the three fled the scene. However, Alie and Malik Perales returned to the car.

Malik Perales said something along the lines of “I did not do all that ... for nothing,” Alie told police.

Alie said Malik Perales broke into the car as Manly neared death and took cartridges and roughly $160.