Monique Baugh was excited about showing properties to prospective homebuyers in her hometown of Minneapolis.

Her co-workers described her as a beautiful person who was driven and simply “a joy to be around.”

The 28-year-old Realtor had been in communication with a 41-year-old man who told her that he wanted to see a particular house.

Baugh, who was meticulous at her profession, happily obliged.

But authorities said Cedric L. Berry, also of Minneapolis, had ulterior — criminal — motives.

Police said that Berry lured Baugh to a home in Maple Grove and kidnapped her in a rented truck on Tuesday December 31, 2019. Her body was found later that day  in an alley just off of a Minneapolis street.

"I cannot begin to describe how vicious the behavior was in this case," County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement. "We have charged Mr. Berry with setting a trap for Ms. Baugh, assassinating her at close range and shooting at her boyfriend while in [a] house with two small children. We are seeking high bail and will do all in our power to prove him guilty."

The Hennepin County Attorney has officially charged Berry with second-degree murder and kidnapping.

Berry, an ex-convict, reportedly has a long history of drug and gang offenses. 

The tragedy began the last day of 2019 about 5:40 p.m., according to media reports. That’s when Baugh’s boyfriend made a frantic 911 call saying he had been shot several times at the couple’s home.

Also inside the home were the couples’s two daughters, both of whom were unharmed. 

According to affidavits obtained by the newspaper, the boyfriend said that a masked gunman barged through the front door shooting. 

The boyfriend, evidently hit by multiple gunshots, ran upstairs screaming, "I am dead already! My babies are here!"

When police arrived, they also got word of gunfire at a real estate listing in Maple Grove. When they arrived, they found Bough’s body. 

Her arms were tied behind her back and she had been shot in the torso and face, according to reports.

“This murder here was particularly brutal,” local activist Al Flowers told reporters at a news conference. “Some people said the violence would stop during the wintertime. It didn’t stop. We’re still dying. Our kids are still dying.”

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune newspaper, search warrant affidavits indicate that Baugh’s murder may be tied to a suspected drug rivalry between Berry and Baugh's boyfriend, “who survived being shot that same day at the home he shared with Baugh and their two small children, the documents said.”

The papers also say that police have learned that the victim’s boyfriend recently signed a rap music contract and "had been flaunting his cash on social media,” the Star-Tribune reported.

The newspaper also said that he had recorded a song with Nipsey Hussle and had performed earlier this year at the SXSW Music Conference in Austin.

Baugh sold homes for Kris Lindahl Real Estate, which served the Twin Cities area.

Frank Baugh, the victim’s father, has set up a GoFundMe to help care for his two grandchildren.

“I have set up this fund to help support my 2 precious granddaughters age 1 and 3 with everyday expenses who’s mother was tragically taken from them,” he says. “l will be the one caring for my granddaughters, as some of you might know my Daughter was murdered she was a young kind loving beautiful mother, daughter and had a blossoming real estate career and her daughter’s were her world! This is a very difficult time for us , she is missed dearly and any help is appreciated.”

Another GoFundMe set up by Kris Lindahl Real Estes says: 

“Monique was a beautiful person who was kind and compassionate. She made an impact on everyone she met. She was very driven and a joy to be around. Monique leaves behind two young girls, ages 1 and 3. She was a loving mother who always put her daughters first. As all who knew Monique grieve her loss, we want to do what we can to help her daughters. This fund has been created to raise money for their future. Monique worked with the Kris Lindahl Real Estate team, and the company will match the first $10,000 donated. The money will go to the girls through their grandmother, Wanda Baugh. If you are able, please help us do what we can to support these two beautiful little girls in the wake of their mother’s tragic passing.“