Four people have been sentenced to prison in Colombia for the murder of a comedian from the Twin Cities, his family announced this week. Tou Ger Xiong, 50, was on vacation in December 2023. His body was found after he went out to meet a woman he reportedly met on social media. “After 14 long and a gonizing months, we wanted to share the bittersweet news that the four individuals responsible for the heinous crime and the tragic murder of our beloved brother, Tou Ger Xiong, have been found guilty and sentenced to up to 29 years in a maximum-security penitentiary,” Xiong’s brother, Eh Xiong, posted in a statement from his family. Tou Ger Xiong (Courtesy of the Bush Foundation) Tou Ger Xiong grew up in St. Paul and most recently lived in Woodbury. He was a recipient of the prestigious Bush Fellowship in 2019, founded  “Hmong Minnesota Day” at the Minnesota State Fair, and hosted an online broadcast, “The Tou Ger Xiong Show.” He was a 1996 graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. Colombian officials announced in January 2024 that two men and a woman were charged with aggravated kidnapping for extortion and aggravated homicide. They said a minor admitting to having participated in the crime and also was charged in the case. “While we are relieved that justice has been served, there will always be a deep void in our hearts, a void that no verdict can ever truly fill,” his family’s statement said. “The pain of losing Tou Ger remains with us, but knowing that those who caused this tragedy will be held accountable offers some semblance of closure, though the journey toward healing is ongoing.” Related Articles Crime & Public Safety | Georgia man sentenced to to 1 year in theft of Arnold Palmer green jacket, other Masters memorabilia Crime & Public Safety | Jury convicts alleged ringleader of massive Feeding our Future fraud scheme Crime & Public Safety | Feds charge Sen. Justin Eichorn, Minnesota lawmaker accused of attempting to pay for sex with minor Crime & Public Safety | Burnsville man killed in weekend crash on Interstate 35E is identified Crime & Public Safety | ‘He wasn’t a street dude,’ father of St. Paul shooting victim says at killer’s sentencing ...read more read less