Joshua Hofmann

On a summer afternoon in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, a meeting for a small transaction escalated into a fatal robbery, ending the life of 31-year-old Joshua Hofmann. A resident of Mounds View, Joshua was survived by his parents, Juanita and Timothy Hofmann, and his two brothers. His loved ones were left to navigate a world irrevocably broken by his sudden and violent death.

The tragic events unfolded on Tuesday, July 19, 2016. Around 2:30 p.m., Joshua and his girlfriend, Kaitlyn Schroeder, drove to the intersection of 66th and Camden Avenues North to buy marijuana from a dealer they had arranged to meet. That man was 25-year-old Lannon Burdunice of Minneapolis. The meeting took place with Joshua in the driver's seat of his car and Burdunice standing outside. According to testimony, an argument broke out over the price of the drugs. Instead of completing the sale, Burdunice attempted to rob Joshua of the $40 intended for the purchase. He then pulled out a 9-millimeter handgun and shot Joshua twice, killing him.

The gunshots shattered the afternoon calm. As Burdunice fled the scene, Joshua’s girlfriend and another witness saw him run into a nearby townhouse. When Brooklyn Center Police officers arrived, they found Joshua unresponsive in his car with two $20 bills at his feet. Paramedics were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. Acting quickly on witness statements, police surrounded the townhouse Burdunice had entered. He eventually surrendered and was taken into custody. During a search of the property, investigators discovered a handgun hidden under the deck that matched the discharged casings found at the crime scene.

Lannon Burdunice was charged with murder. His criminal history already included convictions for terroristic threats and assault. The case against him proceeded to Hennepin County District Court, but the first trial in the fall of 2017 ended with a deadlocked jury and a mistrial. A second trial began in February 2018. This time, after deliberating for less than three hours, the jury acquitted Burdunice of first-degree murder but found him guilty of second-degree intentional murder on March 9, 2018.

On May 8, 2018, nearly two years after the murder, Judge Regina Chu sentenced Burdunice, then 27, to 480 months, or 40 years, in prison—the maximum allowed under sentencing guidelines. During the emotional sentencing hearing, the court heard powerful victim impact statements. Joshua’s mother, Juanita, spoke of the enduring pain her family suffered. “When Lannon made a conscious decision to pull out a gun and shoot and kill my son, he killed a part of all of us that day as well,” she said. “No amount of time or consequence will bring my son back. However, the longer Lannon serves, the less time he will have to do this to someone else.”

A statement was also read on behalf of Joshua’s girlfriend, who witnessed the killing. Addressing Burdunice, she wrote, “Lannon, not only did you take away my first love, you’ve taken away my safety and sense of security. Because of you, I live in a world that I believe is out to harm me.” The sentence brought a legal conclusion to the case, holding Joshua's killer accountable for his actions. As of May 2018, Lannon Burdunice is serving his 40-year sentence. He will be required to serve at least the first 25 and a half years in prison before being eligible for supervised release.