A Pennsylvania man, Zachary Neiman, 37, has been sentenced to 8 to 16 years in prison for the murder of his tenant, Michael Byers, 42. Neiman entered a no contest plea to third-degree murder charges related to Byers’ death in 2023. As part of his plea agreement, an additional charge of involuntary manslaughter was dismissed.
Byers was a tenant in a separate apartment on Neiman’s property. On the evening of April 29, 2023, the two men were socializing and consuming alcohol around a firepit on the property. Northern York County Regional Police reported that neighbors overheard a heated argument between the two men. Following the dispute, Neiman reportedly told his neighbors that he had physically assaulted Byers, according to court documents.
Neighbors reported to the police that they heard further sounds of assault after their conversation with Neiman, which they estimated to have occurred around 10 p.m. The following morning, Neiman dialed 911 after finding Byers’ lifeless body outside his home. Byers was found wearing only shorts and was covered in mud.
Upon arrival, first responders found Neiman attempting to perform chest compressions on Byers, who was already cold to the touch. Neiman informed the police that he had no recollection of the events of the previous night due to his alcohol consumption. He also stated that he had retired to bed at 11:30 p.m.
An autopsy revealed that Byers’ death was caused by blunt-force injuries, exacerbated by ethanol intoxication. Neiman was charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in November 2023.