A man found guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree burglary in a 2023 Isanti County homicide case was sentenced to 366 months in prison on Wednesday.
According to a news release from the state attorney general's office, Fredy Saavedra Olivar hired three individuals to dress as police officers and burglarize a purported drug stash house in Spencer Brook Township in December of 2023.
During the burglary, Jose De Jesus Diaz Fernandez was shot and killed.
The state attorney general's office prosecuted the case at the request of Isanti County attorney Jeff Edblad.
In a quote, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said: "“My heart goes out to Jose De Jesus Diaz Fernandes’s loved ones, and to all those who had to witness the crime orchestrated by Fredy Saavedra Olivar. These are difficult and tragic circumstances for many, and I hope this conviction is able to bring solace to those who need it."
The case was investigated by the Isanti County Attorney's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Three remaining defendants are pending trial. Saavedra Olivar was found guilty after a court trial in November of 2024.
