Richfield man faces mandatory life sentence in ‘rejection killing’

The Brief The sentencing of a man who fatally shot a woman who rejected his advances is happening in Hennepin County Court on Thursday.Jose Luis Lopez Xique, 27, was found guilty of first-degree murder for the June 2025 killing of Kayli Arseth in Richfield.The attorney's office previously said a first-degree murder conviction comes with a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The man convicted of first-degree murder for what prosecutors say was a "rejection killing" is set to be sentenced to life in prison. This story will be updated with the latest details from the official sentencing.  READ MORE: 'Rejection killing': Man guilty of murder for fatal shooting in Richfield Richfield ‘rejection killing’ The backstory: Jose Luis Lopez Xique, 27, was found guilty of the June 2025 murder of Kayli Arseth, who was found dead inside her Richfield apartment.  Xique was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder, which "triggers a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole," the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said.  Police investigation Dig deeper: On June 17, 2025, Richfield police conducted a welfare check on Arseth after she reportedly failed to show up to work. No one had heard from her since the evening before, according to the criminal complaint. When police arrived, they found her dead inside an apartment unit on Penn Avenue South near I-494. A Hennepin Medical Examiner's report says she died from a gunshot wound to the head, and her death was ruled a homicide.  According to charges filed in Hennepin County, messages between the two leading up to her shooting showed Lopez Xique had pursued a romantic relationship, but was denied when Arseth said she was only interested in a friendship. In a search warrant obtained by FOX 9, police reported finding the apartment locked, and the windows were all secured, with no signs of forced entry.  The search warrant states there were bloodstains in the apartment and officers observed what appeared to be a blood smear on the exterior side of the apartment door. The Source: This story uses information from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office and previous FOX 9 reporting.  Crime and Public SafetyHennepin CountyRichfield