Justice for Lily
The Legal Framework
Where the Current System Falls Short
In this Legislative Brief, we are urging the Minnesota Legislature to pass "Lily's Law" and overhaul the state's sentencing guidelines.
Why reform is needed: Lily's killer was sentenced to just 44 months and served roughly 29 months in custody. By comparison, a Minnesota woman with no prior felonies received a 41-month sentence for a non-violent, addiction-related offense in which no one was harmed. Minnesota's sentencing grid currently treats the loss of a child's life as roughly equivalent to a non-violent felony — a structural failure the Legislature has the power to fix.
What the brief proposes:
Lily's Law — a 10-year mandatory minimum (15 years for repeat offenders) for criminal vehicular homicide involving reckless or distracted driving, with offenders required to serve at least 85% of their sentence.
Stronger driving consequences — lifetime license revocation for vehicular homicide, mandatory revocation and vehicle impoundment for felony-level reckless driving, and database flags for repeat offenders.
A full sentencing grid review by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission, with findings due by January 1, 2027, and a Victims and Families Advisory Panel to guide the process.
Whole-person sentencing standards that route non-violent offenders toward treatment when addiction or mental illness is a factor — while preserving proportionality for violent crimes.
Stronger victim rights, including family input on plea deals and mandatory notification of supervised release decisions in cases involving a death.
The ask: Introduce Lily's Law in the 119th Legislative Session, direct the Sentencing Guidelines Commission to begin its review, and schedule a public hearing where Lily's family can testify.
"Lily was 11 years old. She deserved a future. We are asking this Legislature to make sure that no other family has to fight for the justice that Lily deserved."
Lily’s family, friends and community are demanding accountability and systemic reform—so that a driver with such a documented history of recklessness is stopped before another life is lost. Our fight is about justice for Lily, but it is also about protecting every family who shares the roads in our community.
On August 11, 2025, Conner Iversen was charged with criminal vehicular homicide for the fatal crash.
Investigators determined Iversen's vehicle was going 63 mph just prior to the crash. The speed limit on the road is only 50 mph, police said.
Investigators also say phone records show Iversen was using his cell phone in the moments before the crash.
Conner Iversen Should Not Have Been Able to Drive
On Dec. 17, 2024, two months before the accident involving the Loycano family, Minnetrista police chased down Conner Iverson who was driving recklessly—passing on the shoulder, ignoring no-passing zones, and hitting over 100 mph. A helicopter tracked him until police used stop sticks to disable the car. He ditched the vehicle, ran briefly, and was arrested.
When caught, he admitted to flooring it to escape and said he “gets too crazy” behind the wheel. This was already the third car he’d crashed.
A Deadly Intersection
This tragedy is not an isolated event—this intersection has long been recognized by the community as one of the most dangerous in the area. Far too many crashes, near-misses, and fatalities have occurred here, and we cannot allow any more families to suffer such unimaginable loss.
Roundabouts are proven to reduce severe crashes and save lives. According to the Federal Highway Administration, converting traditional intersections to roundabouts reduces fatal crashes by up to 90% and injury crashes by up to 75%. Unlike stop signs or signals, roundabouts naturally slow traffic, eliminate dangerous T-bone collisions, and improve visibility for drivers.
Our community has asked for change at this intersection for years. It should not take another tragedy to make safety improvements a priority. We need leadership and swift action to prevent further heartbreak.
We demand that Independence, Hennepin and Minnesota officials immediately move forward with plans to replace the current intersection at County Road 6 and County Road 110 with a modern roundabout. The safety of our children, families, and neighbors must come first.
We cannot wait until another life is lost. This change needs to be made now.