Jury convicts man of murder in drug deal gone wrong

A Hennepin County District Court jury found a Minneapolis man guilty of murdering a Mounds View man over a drug deal gone wrong, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

Lannon Burdunice, 27, was convicted of second-degree intentional murder in the shooting death of 31-year-old Joshua Hofman on July 19, 2016. Sentencing is scheduled for April 24 and the county prosecutor and Burdunice’s lawyer will argue over a prison sentence of between 329 and 463 months in prison.

The jury received the case late Thursday and returned the verdict Friday morning after deliberating for less than three hours. They acquitted Burdunice of first-degree murder before finding him guilty on the second charge. A different jury was unable to reach a verdict after a trial last fall and a mistrial was declared, leading to the trial which began Feb. 26.

According to the criminal complaint, on July 19, 2016, Hoffman and his girlfriend drove to 66th and Camden Avenues North in Brooklyn Center to buy marijuana from Burdunice. Hoffman’s friend testified that while sitting in the driver’s seat, Hoffman argued with Burdunice, who was standing outside the car, over the price. Burdunice then shot Hoffman twice.