Crime & Safety
Dao Xiong Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Craigslist Murder
The Oakdale man was convicted of killing a St. Paul father of four to steal his car.
Oakdale man Dao Xiong, 20, was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Judge Ellen Maas for the September 2010 murder of Youa Ty Lor.
Earlier Friday, a jury found him guilty of first- and second-degree murder, as well as second-degree murder while committing a felony, in Washington County District Court.
Xiong wanted to steal the Nissan 350z Lor had advertised on Craigslist, and so he posed as a prospective buyer, and then killed Lor after pulling over during a test drive in Lake Elmo.
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Before the sentencing, prosecuting attorney John Fristik read statements from Lor’s family.
Lor’s wife, Katie Lor, wrote that because of the crime, she has become depressed and withdrawn, and lost trust in people.
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“I feel like I have had the life sucked out of me,” she said in the statement. “My confidence has faded away.”
She’s had nothing but, “sleepless nights, anxiety and loss of appetite,” since his death, she said in the statement.
She puts on a brave face for her four children, she said, the youngest of which had not yet turned 1 year old before Lor's death.
Youa Lor had been the family's sole provider, her statement said, and his death has put a financial strain on her family.
“It’s hard and suffocating to know that I won’t be able to provide my kids with the things they want and need,” she said the statement. “He destroyed my family because he is a selfish and greedy person.”
A joint statement from other members of the Lor family described more emotional anguish caused by the killing.
“We are like a small ship on the ocean in a raging storm with no hope on the horizon,” the statement said. “Dao Xiong cannot be punished enough for the crime he committed.”
County Attorney Pete Orput said in a press release that his office was pleased with the verdict.
“We’re thankful that the jury agreed with our analysis of this tragic, thoughtless killing,” he said. “Our hearts go out to the wife and children of Youa Ty Lor for their terrible loss.”
Xiong’s attorney F. Clayton Tyler said the day marked a loss for both the families of Youa Lor and Dao Xiong.
“It’s a sad day for everyone,” he said.