Murder of Kyla & Messiah O'Neal: 47 yr Sentence for Donte McCray
LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA - 33-year-old Donte Rapheal McCray of St Louis Park, Minnesota, was sentenced to 47 years in prison, according to a press release from Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena in connection to the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Kyla Bianca O'Neal and her newborn son Messiah Edward O'Neal.
According to the criminal complaint from the Dakota County Attorney's Office, Officers with the Lakeville Police Department responded to the report of a shooting at the Amazon warehouse in Lakeville, Minnesota, on Sunday, January 8, 2023, that involved a pregnant victim. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Ms. O'neal receiving life-saving measures following a single gunshot wound to the right side of her neck. She was unresponsive and reported to have lost a lot of blood. She was rushed to the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) by ambulance as life-saving measures were continued.
While at HCMC, a C-section was done to try and save her son. He was put on life support following oxygen deprivation from the gunshot wound to Ms. O'Neal's neck that prevented him from getting oxygen and resulted in minimal brain activity being reported. Ms. O'Neal would be pronounced deceased at HCMC, with the cause of death being ruled a homicide from a single gunshot wound to the neck that cut her cervical spine. On Wednesday, January 17, 2023, after nine days on life support, the decision was made to remove him from life support after little to no brain activity was found.
At the scene of the crime, the criminal complaint states that officers spoke with Ms. O'Neal's significant other, 33-year-old Donte McCray, who was reported to appear distraught. He told police that he and Ms. O'Neal were arguing most of the day after Ms. O'Neal learned that Mr. McCray had another child with another woman while she was pregnant. Mr. McCray reportedly went to his mother's with his belongings following the argument with Ms. O'Neil picking him up and driving him to the Amazon warehouse for work later that day. When they arrived at the warehouse, he realized he had firearms in his bag and wanted to make sure they were safe because of his children. Ms. O'Neil had said not to do it while in front of the building, so they moved so they wouldn't be visible with the gun. While clearing a round out of the chamber, Mr. McCray told authorities that the gun accidentally went off and hit Ms. O'Neal in the neck.
According to the criminal complaint, officers then talked to Ms. O'Neal's family. Ms. O'Neal's Mother stated she was called over to Ms. O'Neal and Mr. McCray's residence earlier that day by one of Ms. O'Neal's kids after the kid stated Mr. McCray was getting aggressive with Ms. O'Neal. The two were arguing after she had found out about his infidelity and had told him to leave. The Mother said when she arrived, she saw the two arguing over keys. Ms. O'Neal attempted to get her keys back and had a broomstick; while arguing, Mr. McCray charged her. Ms. O'Neal's Mother stepped in at that point to separate them. Ms. O'Neal broke Mr. McCray's phone during the argument, reportedly angering him.
Mr. McCray reportedly told Ms. O'Neal, with the Mother there, that if she had another man around her kids, he was going to "kill your [her] a**" and the rest of the family, "You all ain't bulletproof. I'm going to f*** you all up. You ain't bulletproof." Mr. McCray then took a Lyft to his mother's house about 70 minutes before the shooting occurred, according to the complaint. The Mother reports that Ms. O'Neal went and picked up Mr. McCray from his mother's house to drive him to the Amazon warehouse in Lakeville about 20 minutes after he had left their residence.
In addition to the interviews, officers reviewed surveillance from the Amazon warehouse. The criminal complaint reports that officers saw them park in the warehouse's parking lot in front of the building, with Mr. McCray getting out of the car, going to the passenger's side back seat, and moving some stuff around in the back seat. The video then shows the car moving away from the front of the building with Mr. McCray walking along the car. As Ms. O'Neal pulled slowly into a spot, the car briefly reversed and pushed Mr. McCray backward. The car then pulled forward slowly before quickly speeding up and hitting a sign marking the parking spot.
Officers spoke with Mr. McCray once again, and Mr. McCray admitted that when Ms. O'Neal backed the car up and the door hit him, he was angered. So he raised the gun at her and pulled the trigger. When he did this, Mr. McCray didn't realize there was still a round in the chamber. According to the criminal complaint, Mr. McCray told police he had taken two firearm safety courses, with another witness telling police Mr. McCray was very educated about guns and gun safety. Ms. O'Neal was also educated in gun safety and had a permit to carry.
Donte McCray pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder by drive-by shooting in October. The sentence comes with 306 months related to the murder of Kyla O'Neal and 261 months related to the murder of Messiah O'Neal, which are to be served consecutively for a total of 567 months (47 years). Mr. McCray is currently in Dakota County Jail, awaiting transfer to be transferred to the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Dakota County Jail
