A twisted couple has been found guilty of orchestrating a fake home viewing that led to the abduction and murder of a 28-year-old estate agent in Minnesota.
The Deadly Deception
Akeem Wiggins and Elsa Segura deliberately lured Monique Baugh to a property viewing in Maple Grove on December 31, 2019, with murderous intent. The young estate agent arrived expecting to conduct professional business, but instead walked into a carefully planned trap.
Upon her arrival at the property, two men ambushed Ms Baugh, forcing her into the back of a U-Haul vehicle. The abduction was swift and brutal, marking the beginning of a horrific sequence of events that would end in tragedy.
A Family's Six-Year Wait for Justice
Monique Baugh's body was discovered in a nearby alleyway, her hands bound with duct tape and fatal gunshot wounds. The violence didn't end with her murder - the perpetrators subsequently targeted her boyfriend in a follow-up attack, though he survived being shot.
The boyfriend later identified Wiggins as someone he believed might want to harm him, providing crucial evidence in the investigation. This testimony helped piece together the motive behind the calculated attack.
Legal Proceedings and Convictions
Wiggins initially faced conviction in 2021, but the Minnesota Supreme Court overturned this decision in 2024 due to incorrect jury instructions. The retrial concluded with Wiggins being found guilty on multiple serious charges.
Jurors convicted him of aiding and abetting first-degree premeditated murder, along with additional charges including attempted murder and kidnapping. His accomplice, Segura, who was dating Wiggins at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to kidnapping to commit great bodily harm in 2024.
Two other defendants, Cedric Berry and Berry Davis, were convicted back in 2021 for their roles in the horrific crime. All perpetrators have now received significant prison sentences, bringing some closure to the victim's family after nearly six years of waiting.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty expressed relief that justice had finally been served, stating: "Mr Wiggins played a primary role in Monique's death, and he is being held accountable." Wiggins received a life sentence without parole, while Segura was jailed for 240 months.
