David Wright convicted of first-degree murder in killing of Mariah Samuels, will be sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole

David Eugene Wright, 51, was convicted Wednesday of first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree murder with past pattern of domestic abuse in the shooting of Mariah Samuels on Sept. 14, 2025.

A conviction on first-degree premeditated murder triggers a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Mr. Wright was originally charged with one count of second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm. The first-degree murder charges were added in November 2025 following a grand jury indictment.

Ms. Samuels had filed an order for protection (OFP) against Mr. Wright in August. Mr. Wright initially violated the OFP the morning of Ms. Samuels’ murder by contacting her, leading Ms. Samuels’ to call Minneapolis Police for assistance.

“Mariah should be with her family. She did everything we ask people who experience domestic violence to do, and the system still failed her,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “Each part of that system Mariah interacted with must hold itself accountable and take a hard look at what can be done to avoid these failures in the future. My thoughts today are solely with Mariah’s family and her loved ones.”

Case Number: 27-CR-25-23719

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