After a four-day court trial, Fredy Saavedra Olivar was found guilty on all charges related to the December 2023 murder of Jose De Jesus Diaz Fernandes. The Minnesota Attorney General's Office, led by Keith Ellison, secured convictions for two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of first-degree burglary. The incident occurred at a ranch in Spencer Brook Township, Minnesota.
The crime took place between December 12 and 13, 2023, when Saavedra Olivar hired three individuals to impersonate police officers and burglarize what was believed to be a drug stash house. He provided them with a gun, drugs, and the address of the location. Saavedra Olivar coordinated with the group by phone just before the crime unfolded. During the burglary, Jose De Jesus Diaz Fernandes was shot and killed. Trials for the other three defendants are still pending.
Attorney General Ellison’s office prosecuted this case following a referral from Isanti County Attorney Jeff Edblad under Minnesota Statutes Sec. 8.01. This statute allows the attorney general to appear in court upon request from a county attorney.
Ellison expressed his condolences to those affected by the crime: “My thoughts are with the friends and family of the victim, as well as the Spencer Brook Township community." He emphasized that "every Minnesotan deserves equal justice under the law," thanking his team and various agencies for their roles in securing this conviction.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Isanti County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Drug and Violent Offenders Task Force, and Washington County Drug Task Force.