Minnesota man who killed teens in break-in charged with murder

[NIUhuskies]

wow, this sounds pretty messed up... Cant tell if his guy is nuts or if these kids were on drugs

By NBC News staff and wire services

A 64-year-old Minnesota man was charged Monday with murder for killing two teenagers who he said broke into his Little Falls home, shooting them in the head, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

AP file

Byron David Smith was arrested after he told police he shot and killed two teenagers who he said were breaking into his home on Thanksgiving Day.

"If you're trying to shoot somebody and they laugh at you, you go again," Byron David Smith of Little Falls told investigators, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.

Smith was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Haile Kifer, 18, and her cousin, Nicholas Brady, 17, both of Little Falls. The teens were shot on Thanksgiving Day, but their deaths weren't reported until Friday.
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Brady has also used the name Schaeffel, which is his mother’s maiden name, at times for family reasons, according to the sheriff's office.

In the criminal complaint, Smith said he was in the basement of his remote home about 10 miles southwest of Little Falls when he heard a window breaking upstairs, followed by footsteps that eventually approached the basement stairwell. Fearful after several break-ins, according to the complaint, Smith said he fired when Brady came into view from the waist down.

After the teen fell down the stairs, Smith said he shot him in the face as he lay on the floor.

"I want him dead," the complaint quoted Smith telling an investigator.

Smith said he dragged Brady's body into his basement workshop, then sat back down on his chair, and after a few minutes Kifer began coming down the stairs. He said he shot her as soon as her hips appeared, and she fell down the steps.

Smith said he tried to shoot her again with his Mini 14 rifle, but that the gun jammed and Kifer laughed at him.

"Smith stated that it was not a very long laugh because she was already hurting," according to the complaint.

Smith said he then shot Kifer in the chest several times with a .22-caliber revolver, dragged her next to Brady, and with her still gasping for air, fired a shot under her chin "up into the cranium."

"Smith described it as 'a good clean finishing shot,'" according to the compliant, but also that he acknowledged he had fired "more shots than (he) needed to."

The following day he asked a neighbor to recommend a good lawyer, according to the complaint. He later asked his neighbor to call the police.

A prosecutor called Smith's reaction "appalling."

"Mr. Smith intentionally killed two teenagers in his home in a matter that goes well beyond self-defense," Morrison County Attorney Brian Middendorf said after Smith appeared at Morrison County District Court on Monday morning. Bail was set at $2 million.

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Minnesota law allows a homeowner to use deadly force on an intruder if a reasonable person would fear they're in danger of harm. Smith told investigators he was afraid the intruders might have a weapon.

Smith's actions "sound like an execution" rather than legitimate self-defense, said David Pecchia, executive director of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association. Pecchia said his statements to investigators suggest he had eliminated any threat to his safety by wounding the cousins.

Smith's brother, Bruce Smith, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that the incident was the eighth burglary at Byron Smith's home in recent years.

The only report the Morrison County sheriff's office has for a break-in at the home was for one on Oct. 27. It shows Byron Smith reported losing cash and gold coins worth $9,200, plus two guns worth $200 each, photo equipment worth more than $3,000 and a ring worth $300.

Little Falls is about 100 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Brady's sister, Crystal Schaeffel, told the Star Tribune that Kifer had broken into her home before. Little Falls police records show Crystal Schaeffel reported a theft Aug. 28, but the department said the report was not public because that investigation was continuing and because it named juveniles.

Tessa Ruth, an aunt of Brady, attended Smith's hearing. She told the Star Tribune she wished the man had fired a warning shot or alerted the police instead of shooting the teens.

"It wasn't right for them to be there and, yes, he had a right to defend himself. But to execute them like that..."

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012...th-murder?lite

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Omaha

No. Nobody wants to "toss the guy away" for defending himself. The problem is what he did after he successfully defended himself.

Correct. Some idiots here won't be able to understand such a simple argument, but that's what makes CP CP.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

I think half these idiots didn't read the story just the parts they like, like christians with the bible.

You atheism argument is so fetch.




In that, it's not happening. Quit trying to make fetch happen.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

.380 on my night stand. .45 under my bed 12 gauge by head board.


.380 on wife night stand. .38 under bed 20 gauge by her head board.

15 year old son has 9mm on his night stand and 12 gauge by head board.

When seconds count sherriff 35+ min away. I call 911 when threat is eliminated and house secure.

Its not murder its cleaning up the gene pool.

This story is murder.

I'm 100% in support of the 2nd amendment and the right to protect himself.

This ****er slaughtered these kids.

[Saul Good]

The dude shot the girl several times in the chest, walked up to her, dragged her across the room, and shot her in the head. He was not in fear for his life when he shot her in the head, or he wouldn't have dragged her across the room first.

[tooge]

Originally Posted by Omaha

No. Nobody wants to "toss the guy away" for defending himself. The problem is what he did after he successfully defended himself.

Too dead/ Omaha

[Dayze]

Lol

[Garcia Bronco]

I wouldn't convict him. I wouldn't have convicted the store clerk either.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

I wouldn't convict him. I wouldn't have convicted the store clerk either.

You really are a fucking idiot.

[wazu]

Sounds like a case of everybody involved getting what they deserve.

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

You really are a ****ing idiot.

Or maybe I've been in several life threatening situations that have made me feel this why. Maybe I've been the subject of a home invasion. Maybe I've had relatives killed in mass shootings. Until you've experinced these things maybe you need to shut the **** up. I might not have to feel this way if the dirtbags of the world weren't tolerated by the dipshit of thw world.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

I think you may have seen In Cold Blood one time too many. Who the f*** are expecting, that the three of you need eight firearms to clear them out?

Why do you care how many fire arms I have to protect my home... And hopefully no one is stupid enough to try and come in our house at night uninvited.

but there are plenty of Meth heads out here, so who knows...

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Dave

This story is murder.

I'm 100% in support of the 2nd amendment and the right to protect himself.

This ****er slaughtered these kids.

Yes the story is murder. I wasnt referring to this story with my statement.

My appologies that it was taken as such.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm kind of worried that his son only has two guns. Why is he shorthanded when he's out on the flank?

You know, thats a good point, I will wait til prices come down here shortly then will get him another one for his room...

Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm kind of worried that his son only has two guns. Why is he shorthanded when he's out on the flank?

Considering his age he’s probably the fastest of the three, a.k.a. the scout, and scouts don’t stand toe to toe slugging it out with the enemy. They hit and run and bring intel back to the main force.

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

You know, thats a good point, I will wait til prices come down here shortly then will get him another one for his room...

Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

Don’t you mean get you a new gun and he can have a hand-me-down?