The Chisago County man charged with murder after reportedly killing a Sandstone man with a shotgun in September was found guilty by a Pine County jury Wednesday afternoon.
John Quitter was charged with three counts of second-degree murder and one count of fleeing a police officer.
According to the criminal complaint, Quitter was living in a trailer at a property on Lake Alma Road in Hinckley when a former girlfriend stopped by to pick up some items she had left there. The woman was dating the victim, and they were reportedly arguing while at the property. During the confrontation, the victim was outside of the trailer and punched through a window after she told him to leave.
The complaint stated that Quitter did not know how the glass broke, but he went outside with a shotgun and fired it at the victim, striking him.
Quitter then took the victim to Essentia Health Sandstone, where he later died of his injuries.
According to court records, Quitter's defense attorney filed a motion stating that he had acted in self-defense because of the victim's aggressive actions during the altercation.
Despite the motion, a jury found Quitter guilty on Wednesday afternoon of all four charges. He had previously pled guilty to being a felony in possession of a firearm.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 13.
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