Man acquitted of killing St. Olaf football player sentenced to 5 years for illegal firearm charge

A man acquitted of killing a St. Olaf Football player during a botched robbery in 2025 has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm.

Terrell Anthony Ranzy, 20, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm by an ineligible person. Ranzy had previously been charged with unintentional murder and manslaughter for the death of 20-year-old Matthew Lee, a football player at St. Olaf, but was acquitted at trial.

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According to court documents, Ranzy, Lee, 20-year-old Woodson Cox Jr. and others had gathered at a house in South St. Paul in Sept. 2025. During the gathering, Cox and Ranzy reportedly showed off their firearms to one another around 3 a.m. and compared them.

At one point, Cox, Lee, and a man identified in court records as a 20-year-old witness gathered in a bathroom, where Cox told Lee and the other man he planned to rob Ranzy of his gun.

Both Lee and the other man reportedly tried to talk Cox out of his plan, but court records said he didn’t listen.

After the three men exited the bathroom, Cox allegedly pulled out his gun and attempted to rob Ranzy.

Court records state Ranzy fired his gun into the ceiling and then began to fire at the group, hitting Lee and Cox. The witness saw both the 20-year-old and Ranzy firing their guns. Two people jumped out the window to avoid being shot.

The witness described Lee as an “innocent bystander,” court documents state.

RELATED: Charges: St. Olaf football player was ‘innocent bystander’ in botched robbery attempt that led to fatal shooting

Lee died in the shooting, while Cox was injured with multiple gunshot injuries.

Ranzy fled the building after the shooting and was later arrested. Cox was charged with one count of first-degree attempted aggravated robbery.

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