A Ramsey County grand jury indicted Neal C. Zumberge Wednesday on charges of first-degree murder in the May killing of his neighbor over a deer feeding feud.
The grand jury also indicted him on first-degree attempted murder for wounding his neighbor's girlfriend, and on second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. The latter two counts are identical to charges initially filed against Zumberge, 57, days after the May 5 shooting.
A first-degree murder conviction carries a sentence of mandatory life in prison.
Authorities believe Zumberge fired a 12-gauge semiautomatic shotgun at Todd G. Stevens, 46, and Jennifer Damerow-Cleven, 48, who lived across the street from him in New Brighton. Stevens died at the scene. Damerow-Cleven suffered noncritical gunshot wounds.
Zumberge is scheduled to make a court appearance Thursday afternoon on the grand jury indictment, and is scheduled to stand trial in February. His attorney, William Orth, has filed notice that Zumberge will claim self-defense.
Authorities allege that Zumberge shot at his neighbors because of a yearslong feud about Stevens feeding deer in his yard. The Zumberge family apparently believed that Zumberge and the family dog contracted Lyme disease from a deer tick.
The day of the shooting, Damerow-Cleven had called the police on Zumberge's son, Jacob Zumberge, who was wanted for making threats against her and Stevens on a previous occasion.
Zumberge's wife, Paula Zumberge, was tried and acquitted in August of aiding and abetting the shooting.
CHAO XIONG
