Editor’s note: A previous version of this story said the decision was made by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

The Minnesota Supreme Court was not swayed by Dao Xiong’s argument that testimony in his Washington County murder trial should not have been allowed.

Dao Xiong, 21, of Oakdale is serving a life sentence after being convicted of murdering Youa Lor in connection with a 2010 carjacking in Lake Elmo.

In his appeal, Dao Xiong sought a reversal of his conviction because the district court allowed testimony by the medical examiner, who said Youa Lor’s death was a homicide, and a firearms expert, who said the gun did not go off accidentally.

In its Wednesday, April 24, opinion, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction, saying the district court properly admitted the expert testimony.

Dao Xiong’s accomplice in the carjacking, Keng Thao, 22, of Maplewood, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting aggravated robbery and was sentenced to four years in prison.

According to criminal complaints, Youa Lor, 33, a St. Paul father of four, was selling his customized Nissan 350Z on Craigslist. He met with Dao Xiong and Keng Thao on Sept. 8, 2010, to show them the vehicle.

The next day, Dao Xiong went on a test drive with Youa Lor and shot him, leaving him to die in a ditch. The car later was found abandoned in a park, stripped of parts.

Dao Xiong, who was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree murder and second-degree murder in the process of committing a felony, remains in the Stillwater state prison in Bayport. His sentence does not include the possibility of parole.

Elizabeth Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162. Follow her at twitter.com/LizMohr.