A Victorville jury acquitted a Newberry Springs man of murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a neighbor last year.
Paul Kenneth Weinhold, 54, was found not guilty of murder on Wednesday, April 15, in the Aug. 27 killing of 59-year-old Andrew Sperhac, according to San Bernardino County Superior Court records.
Weinhold had remained in custody without bail since his arrest in the hours following the shooting.
The court ordered his release following the verdict, which came at the end of a six-week trial, court documents show.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office expressed gratitude to the jurors for their service.
“Although it wasn’t the outcome we sought, our Office wants to thank the members of the jury for their time and consideration,” representatives said in a written statement.
The San Bernardino County Public Defender’s Office, which represented Weinhold, could not be reached for comment.
The shooting
The shooting took place amid what law enforcement officials described as an argument between the neighbors.
It occurred about 7:25 p.m. Aug. 27 in the 45500 block of Yermo Road in the unincorporated county area east of Barstow, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials said at the time.
Deputies responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon when they encountered Sperhac outside his home, suffering from “multiple gunshot wounds,” according to a sheriff’s department statement. He died a short time later.
“Investigators learned Sperhac and his neighbor, Paul Weinhold, were involved in an argument,” the statement said. “During the argument, a shooting occurred.”
Weinhold was formally arrested on suspicion of murder during the early-morning hours the following day, county jail records show.
(This story has been updated with additional information)
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Newberry Springs man acquitted of murder in fatal shooting of neighbor
Reporting by Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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