Suspect charged in deadly crime spree from Minneapolis to Willmar

(KNSI) – The suspect charged in a deadly crime spree that began in Minneapolis and ended near Willmar is officially charged with murder.

Ameer Musa Matariyeh, 25, has been formally charged in Kandiyohi County with one count of second-degree murder, one count of attempted second-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault and one count of fleeing police vehicle. A judge ordered him held there on $3.5 million bail. He is also charged on a warrant out of Hennepin County with three counts of second-degree assault and one count of domestic violence.

According to the prosecutor's office, on Tuesday afternoon around 1:00 p.m., Matariyeh went to the apartment where his ex-girlfriend lives and started arguing with her. He was upset that she was with someone else. The boyfriend was in the apartment, as was the child she and Matariyeh had. The three managed to escape from the apartment, but he chased them and hit the friend twice in the head with a gun. Once they were outside, Matariyeh began shooting at them from the balcony of the apartment. Police arrived, established a communications link with Matariyeh and spoke with him for “some time” before learning he had fled the building and was heading west out of the Twin Cities.

He showed up in Kandiyohi County, where he allegedly stopped at a home in Lake Lillian, shot 25-year-old Peter Mayerchak and then stole his car before speeding away. Police found evidence of bullets entering the home, with holes around the stove and a window.

Officers found Matariyeh traveling at 100 miles per hour and gave chase.

Matariyeh then drove to the intersection of Highway 23 and Highway 71 where he attempted to ambush 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek of New London. He is said to have shot Skluzacek in the head. Skluzacek was pronounced dead at the scene.

Matariyeh was taken into custody a short time later and taken to the Kandiyohi District Jail, where he remains.

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