MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Authorities in Hennepin County charged a 27-year-old man with second-degree murder Monday in connection with the fatal shooting of a young woman just a day after she rebuffed his romantic advances via Snapchat.
Prosecutors allege that Jose Luis Lopez Xique shot and killed 22-year-old Kayli Arseth inside her Richfield apartment on the afternoon of June 27. According to the criminal complaint, the confrontation stemmed from Lopez Xique’s unreciprocated feelings, culminating in a violent escalation that left Arseth dead from a gunshot wound to her head.
Investigators say Lopez Xique and Arseth had been communicating frequently through Snapchat. While the two were known to spend time shopping together, friends and records made clear that Arseth did not consider the relationship romantic or sexual.
Digital forensic evidence revealed that the pair maintained a consistent Snapchat “streak” until shortly before the shooting. In messages exchanged days before her death, Arseth told Lopez Xique she valued only friendship and explained she was overwhelmed and not seeking a relationship. Lopez Xique, the complaint alleges, expressed confusion and disappointment, but said he would respect her wishes.
On June 16, location data showed Lopez Xique’s phone remained at Arseth’s apartment for over an hour, which coincided with the last messages he sent her. Police were dispatched for a welfare check after Arseth stopped responding to her family and friends. Upon entering her home with the help of the building manager, officers discovered her body in the living room, face down in a pool of blood.
A neighbor reported hearing a heated argument that afternoon, including a man’s anguished cry of, “How could you do this to me,” shortly before the apartment grew silent and the man was seen leaving. Cell phone records and surveillance footage placed Lopez Xique at the scene, followed by a visit to a hardware store afterward.
Arseth’s family and friends remembered her as a bright and caring person who loved working with children, her loss sending ripples of grief through the Richfield community.
Hennepin County prosecutors have described the killing as a senseless and targeted act of violence, vowing to seek full accountability in court. Lopez Xique is being held pending trial.
Authorities have not released information regarding the existence of prior restraining orders or earlier threats. Police say the investigation remains active and encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward.
Officials emphasized the importance of recognizing warning signs in escalating personal disputes, urging those at risk to seek help through law enforcement or local resources.
Court proceedings for Lopez Xique are expected to continue in the coming weeks, as the community mourns the tragic end to a young woman’s life.