Shooting suspect charged in separate Woodbury incident

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A man suspected of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend Sept. 20 in Hudson, Wis. was at his parents’ Woodbury home later that night.

According to Woodbury police reports, Christopher Soriano Ledesma, 29, allegedly carried a firearm illegally and threatened family members by his demeanor while at the residence in the 600 block of Meadow Lane.

The allegations were contained in a criminal complaint filed by the Washington County Attorney’s office on Sept. 23. The complaint charges Ledesma with illegally possessing a weapon and making terroristic threats.

As of Thursday, Sept. 25, Ledesma was being held in the Washington County Jail in Stillwater.

Hudson police chief Marty Jensen said Monday it’s likely Ledesma will be transferred to the St. Croix County (Wis.) jail and charged with the murder of Kelly Dahm, 19, of Maplewood, by the end of the week.

According to the criminal complaint submitted by the Woodbury Public Safety Department, three Woodbury officers responded to a call made around 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 from the Meadow Lane residence.

Ledesma’s brother contacted police, stating Christopher Ledesma was intoxicated and trying to enter the home. The brother was inside with his wife, and said they feared for their safety. The brother apprised police that Ledesma was known to carry knives and guns.

When police officers arrived at the scene, they spotted Ledesma in the driveway of the house.

Police shined a flashlight on the man and saw Ledesma walk toward the house. They observed him doing something with his hands at waist level. One of the officers shouted to him to put his hands up, the criminal complaint stated.

Ledesma reportedly did not comply with the officer’s demand, and bent over. The officer nearest to Ledesma heard “a clunk,” like something hard hitting the ground. The officer then ordered the man to the ground. As he did so, one of the officers found a silver handgun nearby.

The gun, according to the criminal complaint, had its hammer cocked and contained one .38 caliber bullet casing in the firing cylinder of the chamber.

Officers then searched Ledesma and found three spent casings in his front pocket and one live round in his rear pocket.

Police then went to the door of the house and spoke with Ledesma’s brother.

He said his parents owned the home, but were not present. The parents instructed him to not to let Christopher Ledesma into the residence, the complaint stated.

The brother said he and his wife called police because they saw their brother was carrying a firearm.

Ledesma is currently under probation for a 1996 St. Croix County conviction on two counts of first-degree reckless injury. He served four years in prison before beginning a 10-year probation sentence. By Minnesota law, he is not allowed to possess a firearm.

Ledesma had lived in Woodbury, but recently moved to St. Paul. Hudson police believe that after Ledesma shot Dahm, he got a ride to Woodbury.

Dahm was found dead that evening in a car registered in Ledesma’s name in the parking lot of the St. Croix County Government Center.

Police said Dahm and Ledesma had an “on and off-again” relationship for the past two years. Several media outlets reported they met while both were employees at Key’s Café in Woodbury.

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