Authorities said the victim’s death went unreported for more than a week while cleanup efforts took place inside the Burnsville house.
BURNSVILLE, Minn. — A 27-year-old Minnesota woman was sentenced Tuesday to nearly 22 years in prison after admitting she fatally shot a 70-year-old man inside her father’s home while he was away on vacation, according to Dakota County prosecutors.
Josephine Powers pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder in the July 2024 death of Michael Robert Riccio. Investigators said Powers shot Riccio during a confrontation inside the basement of the Burnsville home, then delayed reporting the killing while arranging cleanup efforts meant to conceal evidence. The case drew widespread attention after the homeowner returned from his trip and slowly realized that suspicious stains, bleach odors and damaged walls inside the residence were connected to a homicide.
Authorities said Riccio was killed on July 9, 2024, while Powers’ father was out of town. Prosecutors said Powers later admitted shooting Riccio in the head during what she described as an escalating dispute. Investigators told the court that Powers claimed Riccio had been “f—ing with her” and that she “could not take it anymore.” Detectives said the shooting happened in the basement area of the suburban home south of Minneapolis. The killing was not immediately reported to police, and investigators later alleged that efforts were made to clean parts of the scene and remove evidence before authorities learned what happened.
The unusual sequence of events became a major focus of the investigation after the homeowner returned from vacation. During a lunch break from work, he encountered a man wearing a hazmat suit inside the residence, according to court records summarized during the case. The homeowner initially believed the brown stains being cleaned from the basement were paint or another household spill. Over the following days, however, he noticed a strong smell of bleach inside the home and what appeared to be patched bullet holes in one wall. Prosecutors said those observations later became key evidence in reconstructing the timeline surrounding Riccio’s death. Authorities also examined damaged carpeting and cleaning materials recovered from the property.
Investigators said the homicide remained hidden for more than a week. On July 18, 2024, one of Powers’ friends contacted the homeowner and told him Riccio had allegedly been killed inside the residence while the family was away. Authorities said Powers then contacted law enforcement the same day and reported the shooting. Officers responding to the scene began examining the basement and surrounding areas where cleanup work had allegedly occurred. Prosecutors said Powers enlisted outside help in attempting to clean the scene after the killing, though authorities did not publicly identify the person seen wearing the hazmat suit inside the home. Detectives also reviewed communications and statements connected to the days between Riccio’s death and the eventual report to police.
Officials said investigators found extensive signs of cleanup efforts throughout parts of the house. Court filings described damaged carpeting, heavy use of bleach and cleaning products, and repairs that appeared connected to the shooting. Prosecutors argued those actions showed Powers understood the seriousness of the crime and attempted to hinder investigators by concealing evidence before police arrived. Authorities did not publicly describe any significant criminal history involving either Powers or Riccio, and details about the relationship between the two were not fully outlined during court proceedings. Several unanswered questions remained during sentencing, including why the killing was not immediately reported and what role other individuals may have played in removing or cleaning evidence.
The case unfolded as prosecutors in homicide investigations increasingly emphasize alleged post-crime concealment efforts as evidence of intent and consciousness of guilt. In Minnesota, second-degree intentional murder convictions can result in decades-long prison terms even when prosecutors do not pursue premeditated murder charges. Dakota County prosecutors said Powers’ plea agreement resolved the most serious charge tied to Riccio’s death and avoided a lengthy trial. During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, the court imposed a prison term of just under 22 years. Under Minnesota sentencing guidelines, defendants generally serve a substantial portion of their sentence in prison before becoming eligible for supervised release.
Residents in Burnsville expressed shock after details of the killing became public. Neighbors said the idea that a fatal shooting had taken place inside an occupied family home without the homeowner’s knowledge unsettled many in the community. Prosecutors repeatedly referenced the father’s return from vacation during court proceedings, describing how he slowly realized something more serious than property damage had happened inside the house. Officials said the delayed report and altered scene created additional challenges for detectives trying to reconstruct events from the days after Riccio’s death. Authorities also noted the emotional impact on Riccio’s family and on the homeowner, whose property became the center of a homicide investigation.
The sentencing largely concludes the criminal prosecution against Powers unless future appeals are filed. Authorities have not announced additional charges related to the alleged cleanup effort, and no further hearings were immediately scheduled following Tuesday’s proceedings. Investigators said the case is now closed at the trial court level nearly two years after the killing.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.