A St. Paul man has admitted he set a northeast Minneapolis duplex on fire last September, a blaze that killed his childhood friend and rattled the neighborhood. Andrew Nietz pleaded guilty this week to second‑degree murder in the case, entering the plea just days before his trial was set to start.
According to WCCO, court documents show Nietz pleaded guilty to one count of second‑degree murder and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026. Prosecutors say the fire was set late on Sept. 24, 2025, on 22nd Avenue Northeast near Northeast Jackson Street, and that firefighters arrived to find heavy flames already tearing through the building.
The Fire and the Victim
The man found inside the unit was identified by family as 39‑year‑old Housten Housley, who lived in one side of the duplex. Relatives described him as generous and well-liked. Three other residents escaped the blaze, and the property owner said she had previously let Nietz stay in the building before…..