Ryan Rooney "had a gunshot wound under his chin and an exit wound to the top of his head" when police arrived at the murder scene.
A judge this week sentenced a Minnesota man convicted of murdering his wife to life in prison.
Ryan Rooney, 36, sat silent and emotionless in a Hennepin County courtroom as family members of his late wife delivered victim impact statements.
He elected not to speak before the judge handed down the mandatory sentence of life in prison after a jury convicted Ryan of first-degree murder with domestic abuse last month. Ryan will be eligible for parole in 30 years.
Samantha Rose Columbus Boshey, 29, was found dead inside the hotel room she was sharing with her husband and their two infant children, ages 1 and 2, on Nov 2, 2021. Samantha also had a young son from a previous relationship.
Staff at the Residence Inn Hotel in Eden Prairie contacted local law enforcement earlier that day and asked that they perform a welfare check on Rooney's room, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
Officers with the Eden Prairie Police Department arrived at the hotel and gained entry into the room with the help the staff.
"The room was extremely cluttered and smelled strongly of urine," says the affidavit. "Officers announced themselves multiple times and after approximately two minutes, a male walked down the stairs from the hotel room’s second level."
As Rooney came down the stairs, officers observed two things, according to the affidavit: Rooney "had a gunshot wound under his chin and an exit wound to the top of his head," and a small child was walking with him.
Officers found the other child in her crib with sheets that were "soiled in urine."
Rooney had two bags of methamphetamine on his person, and more of the drug was discovered by officers on a tray "found on the toilet in the bathroom that would be easily accessible to a small child," according to the affidavit.
The victim was then discovered on the second level of the hotel room.
"Officers checked the second level of the hotel room and located a deceased female, 'Victim' herein, laying between the foot of the bed and the wall," says the affidavit. "Victim had a gunshot wound to the center of her chest, and an exit wound to her back. Victim was cold to the touch and her joints felt stiff."
Prosecutors argued in court that Rooney shot his wife after an argument in front of their children, kept the family together in the same room as the dead body, and eventually attempted to take his own life but botched the suicide attempt.
The two had just been married for three months. Police wrote in the affidavit that Rooney told them: "I don’t know why I shot [Victim].”
KARE was in court this week when the victim's father delivered a heartbreaking impact statement.
"It pains me and kills me inside knowing I will never see her smile light up a room, watch her raise her kids, live her best life, and help her when she would fall like all fathers have a chance to do," said Charles Boshey, while fighting back tears. "A big piece of me died that day she died. I will never be whole again because of what happened to my baby girl."
The county's top prosecutor also spoke about the trial following the jury's verdict last month.
“Today's guilty verdicts hold Mr. Rooney accountable for this senseless and devastating murder,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. “I am grateful to the jury for their service throughout the trial and my thoughts are with those affected by Mr. Rooney's actions, especially the two young children exposed to this horrific event at such an early age."
