Minnesota Felony Murder Reform Triggers Controversial Resentencing for Accomplice in 2017 Duluth Student Homicide

Noah King's life sentence for the 2017 murder of William Grahek was reduced to 32 years, sparking outrage from the victim's family over new state laws.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 8:56 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Duluth New Tribune

Legislative Overhaul Collides With Decade Old Murder Case

The St. Louis County Courthouse became a flashpoint for legal debate Monday as the retroactive application of Minnesota’s 2023 Felony Murder Reform Act resulted in a significantly reduced term for a convicted killer. Noah Anthony Charles King, now 27, saw his first degree murder conviction overturned in favor of a second degree murder charge stemming from the 2017 shooting of William Grahek. Under the previous legal standard, King was held equally liable for the death despite not being the triggerman. The new statutes, however, require the state to prove a defendant acted with a specific intent to kill or functioned as a "major participant" to uphold the most severe penalties. Judge Leslie Beiers expressed that while she acknowledged the profound grief of the survivors, her judicial obligations necessitated adherence to the legislature's amended standards.

A Botched Robbery and a Family’s Lingering Trauma

The original crime occurred on Valentine’s Day in 2017, when King and two co-defendants, Deandre Demetrius Davenport and Noah Duane Baker, entered Grahek's East Hillside home with the intent to steal cash and narcotics. The trio was reportedly surprised to find Grahek at home, leading to a confrontation that ended in two fatal gunshots fired by Davenport. Testimony from the initial trial indicated that while King carried a wrench rather than a firearm, the group demonstrated a mutual intent to use whatever force was required to complete the burglary. For the Grahek family, the resentencing serves as a "baffling and inhumane" reopening of wounds that had only recently begun to heal after nearly ten years of legal finality.

The Fractured Logic of Retroactive Justice

Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Vicky Wanta delivered a stinging critique of the resentencing process, describing the retroactive nature of the law as an "ill-thought-out" move that disregards the finality of justice for victims. Wanta compared the legal shift to retroactively changing the rules of a sporting event to strip a past winner of their title, noting that her office remains in firm disagreement with the court’s decision to grant King’s petition. The prosecution argued that King's involvement was central to the planning and execution of the violent home invasion. Despite these objections, the defense maintained that King h...