Burnsville Teen Shot And Killed In Drug Deal Gone Bad: Cops

SAVAGE, MN — A husband, wife and their son have all been charged in the death of a Burnsville teen who was shot and killed during a drug deal gone bad, authorities said.

The teen, Samuel Alvin Keezer, 16, was shot on Feb. 28 and died over the weekend, authorities said.

Savage Police Department officers said they responded about 7:30 p.m. to the west parking lot of the Target store on a report of a person bleeding from the head.

The teen was semi-conscious and breathing when located and was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center, where he died the following day, authorities said.

This week, Taran Cortez Miller, 44, of Prior Lake was charged with second-degree murder. His wife, Tanya Marie Esthell Miller, 43, was charged with aiding an offender.

Their son, a 16-year-old, also faces a second-degree murder charge, authorities said.

Through the investigation, officers obtained surveillance video from the area and learned that Keezer had been communicating via Snapchat on Feb. 28. Keezer's girlfriend told investigators that he would use Snapchat to find people who sell marijuana, the complaint states.

A witness who was with Keezer in the parking lot on the night of the shooting told police their plan had been to meet up with the Miller teen and then take his marijuana, authorities said.

In an interview with police, the Miller teen said he and Keezer agreed to meet at the Target parking lot after Keezer did not show at prior meetup spots, according to the complaint. Once the Target lot was agreed upon, the Miller teen and his dad drove to the parking lot armed with a gun, the complaint states.

At the parking lot, Keezer got into Miller's car but did not close the door, authorities said. Miller and his son kept telling him to close the door, but Keezer continued to sniff and handle the marijuana, authorities said the Miller teen told them.

The father then shot Keezer in the head and pushed him out of the car before telling his son to drive away, according to the complaint.

Once the two got back home, Tanya Miller went to a neighbor’s house to get her garage key, authorities said. All three then worked to hide the car in the garage so it wouldn’t be found, the complaint states.

The Miller teen told police that his mother spoke to her sister about taking the firearm, according to police.