Minnesota Re-Examined A 2004 Murder Conviction: Here’s What It Found

ST. PAUL, MN — A four-year, independent review of a Dakota County murder case found no wrongful conviction, offering a rare look at how Minnesota re-examines claims that someone may have been wrongly imprisoned.

The Minnesota Attorney General’s Conviction Review Unit concluded its investigation into Philip Vance’s case and does not recommend vacating his conviction, according to Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena.

The specialized unit conducted an extensive review, examining thousands of pages of case materials, listening to hundreds of hours of recordings, and interviewing multiple witnesses.

Vance was convicted by a Dakota County jury on Oct. 5, 2004, of two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and one count of second-degree intentional murder in the shooting death of 25-year-old Khaled Majed Al-Bakri.

Al-Bakri was working as a clerk at Sabreen’s Supermarket in South St. Paul at the time of the killing.

Vance was sentenced on Oct. 8, 2004, to life in prison, a mandatory sentence for first-degree premeditated murder.

His conviction has been challenged multiple times over the years and upheld, including in unanimous Minnesota Supreme Court decisions in 2006 and 2008.

Vance requested the Conviction Review Unit review his case in July 2021. His legal team later filed additional petitions for postconviction relief in December 2022 and February 2025.

Those proceedings were paused while the review was conducted.

On March 25, 2026, a Dakota County judge denied Vance’s latest petition for postconviction relief following completion of the review.

“I respect the court’s decision and I appreciate the CRU for the thorough evaluation of this matter,” Keena said in a statement. “Our office remains committed to transparency and to upholding the integrity of the justice system.”

The full report from the Conviction Review Unit is available through the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.