Authorities in St. Cloud, Minnesota, have made a significant breakthrough in a two-year-old murder case, arresting a second suspect in connection with a deadly house party shooting that occurred in October 2023. The arrest of 27-year-old Kelisha Jason Walton II, announced by police late last week, marks a major development in a case that has haunted the local community and left one man dead and two others wounded.
According to a press release cited by KNSI and WJON News, Walton was taken into custody without incident on the afternoon of October 30, 2025. Officers from the St. Cloud Police Department’s community response team apprehended him in the 20000 block of 21st Avenue in St. Augusta, a quiet stretch just outside the city. Walton was booked into Stearns County Jail and, the following morning, charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder with intent but not premeditated. The charge stems from his alleged role in the shooting death of 34-year-old Antonio Carl Harris Jr. during a house party on October 22, 2023.
Police say the events unfolded in the early hours of that October day, just before 4:00 a.m., when officers responded to reports of multiple gunshots at a residence in the 700 block of 6th Avenue South. When they arrived, they found Harris Jr. lying fatally wounded on the front lawn. Two other men—aged 26 and 52—were also shot but survived their injuries after receiving treatment at St. Cloud Hospital. The party, which had drawn a sizable crowd, quickly devolved into chaos as shots rang out, sending guests fleeing and leaving behind a grim scene for investigators.
The case immediately drew intense scrutiny from both law enforcement and the public. As reported by the St. Cloud Times, the shooting was believed to be an act of retaliation, connected to a stabbing that had taken place in July 2023. According to investigators and court records, Deionte Jaewon Parker—who is related to both the earlier stabbing victim and to Walton—allegedly approached Harris on the lawn and opened fire. Witnesses described a tense confrontation that escalated rapidly, with Parker firing multiple shots at close range. Harris was pronounced dead at the scene, while the two other victims were stabilized and released from the hospital later that day.
Parker’s involvement in the shooting was quickly established, and he was arrested on November 7, 2023. His trial, which concluded earlier this year, resulted in a conviction for aiding and abetting second-degree murder and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In April 2025, a Stearns County judge handed down a 40-year prison sentence. Parker, however, is currently appealing the conviction, maintaining his innocence in the face of mounting forensic evidence.
The arrest of Walton came after a long and complex investigation, which, according to KNSI, involved both direct and circumstantial evidence as well as significant forensic breakthroughs. On May 19, 2025, law enforcement received a crucial lead from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). A pistol registered to Walton had been found in a vacant lot in Minneapolis, and subsequent testing by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension revealed that the weapon had been fired 18 times at the scene of the St. Cloud shooting. Even more damning, four bullets recovered from Harris’s body by the medical examiner’s office were matched to Walton’s gun, tying him directly to the fatal incident.
Police had long suspected that multiple firearms were used during the chaotic moments at the party, but the ballistic evidence provided the first concrete link between Walton and the crime. The connection between Parker and Walton, both familial and circumstantial, was further established by records showing they attended the party together and were present during the shooting. This web of relationships and grudges, as described by law enforcement, complicated the investigation and prolonged the search for all those involved.
In a written statement issued on October 31, 2025, St. Cloud Police emphasized the ongoing nature of the case, noting that Walton’s actions were believed to be intentional but not premeditated. "There is ongoing direct, circumstantial and forensic evidence connecting Walton to the case," the department said, underlining the seriousness of the charges. Walton is currently being held on a $3 million bond while awaiting further legal proceedings.
According to WJON News, the shooting and its aftermath have left a lasting impact on the St. Cloud community. The violence at what should have been a routine gathering shocked neighbors and raised concerns about escalating retaliatory violence in the area. The fact that both Harris and Parker were in their 30s, with established ties to the community, only deepened the sense of tragedy and loss. The two other shooting victims, whose names have not been released, have since recovered physically, but the trauma of that night lingers.
As of the end of October 2025, the investigation remains active and ongoing. St. Cloud Police have not ruled out additional arrests, and they continue to urge anyone with information about the events of that night to come forward. The case has highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement in unraveling complex incidents involving multiple suspects, shifting alliances, and community ties that both obscure and illuminate the path to justice.
Meanwhile, the legal process continues for both Walton and Parker. Walton’s arrest and subsequent charges mark a new chapter in the case, but the full story of what happened at the St. Cloud house party—and why—may not be fully known for some time. As the appeals process for Parker moves forward and Walton prepares to face trial, the families of those involved are left waiting for closure.
The St. Cloud shooting is a stark reminder of how quickly violence can erupt, even in familiar settings, and how the repercussions of a single night can ripple outward for years. The diligent work of investigators, the persistence of forensic science, and the cooperation of witnesses have all played a role in bringing the case to its current point. Yet, as authorities have made clear, there are still questions to be answered and, perhaps, more justice to be served.
For now, the community watches and waits, hoping that the arrests of Walton and Parker will bring some measure of accountability and peace to those who have suffered most from the tragedy on 6th Avenue South.
