Aurora man charged with murder

SAUK RAPIDS, Minn. (Northern News Now) – An Iron Range man has been charged after his DNA linked him to a murder in Sauk Rapids.

Christopher Neal, 45, of Aurora, was charged with multiple felonies, including second-degree murder.

According to the criminal complaint, on August 12 around 5:30 p.m., Sauk Rapids police responded to a report of a possible deceased woman at an apartment on 10th Avenue Northeast in Sauk Rapids.

When officers arrived, they discovered the victim was dead and began investigating.

The victim was later identified as Victoria Gamble, 38, of Sauk Rapids.

She was originally from Hibbing.

Inside the apartment, authorities found what was later identified as Gamble's phone. They also collected a number of items from the apartment.

Authorities interviewed Gamble's friends and family and it emerged that she was at a bar in Sauk Rapids for most of the day until just after 1 a.m. on August 11

Security footage at the bar showed Gamble interacting throughout the night with a man later identified as Neal.

Around 1:08 a.m., Gamble left the bar with Neal in her black Chevy Equinox.

Court documents say security footage shows the two entering Gamble's residence around 1:15 a.m

The electronic locking system log documented that Gamble's key fob was used to gain entry into both the building and her apartment at this time.

Neal is then seen on security footage leaving the apartment alone around 3 a.m.

Authorities say Neal appears to have seen the camera and quickly turns his head away and tries to hide his face as he exits the building.

Court documents say Gamble's black Chevy Equinox was missing from the parking lot when police responded.

During a search of Gamble's apartment, her car keys, apartment key fob and other items were missing.

According to court documents, Neal was charged with domestic violence in Aitkin County on August 1 and released on bond.

On August 12, the Aitkin County Sheriff's Office reported a violation of a Domestic Violence No Contact Order (DANCO) placed between Neal and the victim of this assault.

An arrest warrant was then issued and he was formally charged with the offense on August 19th.

On August 18, investigators learned that Neal and the stolen Equinox may be in Louisiana.

Authorities in Louisiana found Neal at a hotel and later found the Equinox a short distance away.

He was subsequently arrested on the Aitkin County warrant.

According to court documents, investigators received a Mirandized statement from Neal on Aug. 22 while he was in custody in Louisiana.

The investigator told Neal that he was there to talk to him about a vehicle and Neal admitted to taking it.

Neal also admitted to being at a woman's apartment in Sauk Rapids, but said he couldn't remember her name.

He also claimed to have a limited memory of what happened in the apartment.

At one point in the interview, Neal said, “I understand, my brother was murdered too,” before investigators told Neal that they thought Gamble was murdered.

However, Neal later told authorities that he did not believe he killed her.

Neal allegedly believed Gamble was still alive when he left her apartment, and he admitted to taking her keys from the counter as he left her apartment.

According to the criminal complaint, the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office released a final summary report on Oct. 18 after an autopsy was performed on Aug. 13.

The coroner determined Gamble was murdered by strangulation.

During the autopsy, the medical examiner took swabs of the body to collect biological samples for possible further testing.

The medical examiner also collected other items during the autopsy, including Gamble's DNA sample.

Neal's DNA sample was collected during the course of the investigation and also submitted for testing.

The samples were later sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) laboratory.

On October 16, the BCA laboratory released a report on some of the items submitted for testing.

Swabs from Gamble's neck contained DNA from two male individuals, with Neal matching the main DNA profile of a male.

Neal faces up to 40 years in prison for the incident.

He is currently in custody at the Aitkin County Jail.

Due to the nature of the charges and Neal's flight risk, a warrant complaint was filed.

A GoFundMe has been created for Gamble's two young sons.

To donate, click here.

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