East Grand Forks man charged in 2020 murder of his father still in Minnesota custody on unrelated charges

Sav Kelly, Grand Forks Herald
·1 min read
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Oct. 5—GRAND FORKS — After nearly two years, a Grand Forks man's murder case remains inactive.

Vincent Chase Villarreal, 30, is currently imprisoned at the Minnesota St. Cloud Correctional Facility following his May 2022 sentencing for felony controlled substance in the fifth degree.

According Grand Forks County State's Attorney Haley Wamstad, it is expected for Grand Forks County to receive custody of Villarreal "once his matters in Minnesota are complete."

When the body of Jeffrey Allen Shulzitski, 55, was found on Dec. 5, 2020,

police explored multiple leads

. Shulzitski's death by gunshot wound

was eventually linked to his son

, Villarreal.

Villarreal, of East Grand Forks, was charged with intentional murder with extreme indifference on Jan. 12, 2021. However, he had been arrested on Dec. 30, 2020 in Minnesota on drug charges and was in custody at the Northwest Regional Corrections Center in Crookston, Minnesota.

Convicted of felony controlled substance in the fifth degree, Villarreal was sentenced to 19 months at the Minnesota St. Cloud Correctional Facility, with credit for 488 days served. However, throughout his incarceration at the NWRCC, Villarreal was convicted in two assault cases. About six months was added to his sentence as a result.

Villarreal is expected to be released on Feb. 13, 2025, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections website. Villarreal's case worker, Scott Rutten, confirmed the release date.