A Minnesota woman has been sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for killing a man at her father’s home and attempting to hide the body.
The Crime
Josephine Powers, 27, admitted to shooting 70-year-old Michael Robert Riccio at her father’s Burnsville home on July 9, 2024, while her father was on vacation. Powers initially misled authorities, claiming the shooting was done by a male friend. She enlisted Christopher Hawkins, 48, to help clean the house and store Riccio’s body.
Discovery and Investigation
Riccio’s remains were later found in a gray storage tote on Hawkins’ property. Investigators determined he died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Witnesses said Powers argued with Riccio before the shooting and “freaked out” after firing.
Sentencing
Powers pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder and was sentenced to 261 months (just under 22 years), receiving credit for 669 days already served. Hawkins pleaded guilty to aiding an offender after the fact and is scheduled for sentencing on June 18.
