Murder trial begins for man accused of shooting, killing father in GF motel

GRAND FORKS — A murder trial started on Wednesday, Oct. 7, for an East Grand Forks, Minnesota, man who police say shot and killed his father nearly six years ago outside a Grand Forks hotel. The murder case for 34-year-old Vincent Villarreal was put on hold until last year because he had to finish serving prison time for crimes he committed in Minnesota. During her opening statement, Sarah Gereszek, Grand Forks County assistant state's attorney, did not disclose their theory of why the shooting happened. But she did reveal a third person, Emmanuel Garza, was inside room 189 at the Budget Inn Express on Dec. 4, 2020, when Jeffrey Shulzitski, 55, was killed. Court documents say Garza told police Villarreal wanted to visit his father. Garza said he heard loud bangs, saw Shulzitski drop to his knees and then left. Surveillance allegedly showed Garza and Villarreal leaving separately in different directions. "He didn't hear any arguing, fighting, going on before his