"You're dead," Minnesota Homeowner Told Teen Burglar

** That's the title of the article ... not my title.

A 65 year old retired US Department of State employee suffered from his home being repeatedly broken into. He armed himself and set up recording devices to help stop the break-ins. On Thanksgiving Day, his home was broken into by two thieves. It was the THIRD time that one of the thieves (named Brady) had broken into the home of the 65 year old. The man shot both thieves dead. Now he's on trial for 'first degree premeditated murder'.

CBS News - 'You're Dead' - Minnesota Homeowner Told Teen Burglar

Byron Smith, 65, of Little Falls, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the slayings of 17-year-old Nick Brady and 18-year-old Haile Kifer on Thanksgiving Day 2012. The shooting stunned the small city and stirred debate about how far people can go in defending their homes.

Smith told police that he armed himself and set up recording devices following repeated break-ins. Morrison County jurors heard glass break on the recording, then two gunshots as Brady groaned. Smith told Brady, "You're dead," the Star Tribune reported.

Smith is a retired security engineer for the U.S. Department of State. Kifer and Brady were cousins. The two were well-known in the community, and both were involved in sports.

The report says that the man moved one of the bodies so it wouldn't stain the carpet with blood. He cuss'd at the female thief as she died. The only information the newspaper gave on the thieves was to show nice smiling pictures of the 17 and 18 year old thieves and said that they were 'well known in the community and into sports'.

Me? I'd have shot them without a second thought. I wouldn't have moved the body to 'stop the carpet from being stained' ... but I wouldn't have thought twice about shooting them. These were a 17 and 18 year old committing 'increasingly violent' crimes. They easily could overpower a 65 year old man and cause him extreme harm.

So ... is the man justified for shooting the two repeat-offender thieves who were breaking into his home again? Or is he guilty of first degree premeditated murder of two people like the state is trying to claim?

a reply to: FlyersFan

I heard about this one at work today. No news access myself ... but someone says the guy walked up and shot the dude in the face after he was down.

Everyone at work was of the opinion that the thieves got exactly what they deserved.

a reply to: FlyersFan
You know what Im 100% in agreement

This is a good example of the 2nd amendment use and one of the very few times I will support gun use.

You break in, you do it at your own risk.

I would have done the same.

a reply to: FlyersFan

who cares. two dead criminals.
we are lucky they're out of the gene pool.

i hope they were zombies.

a reply to: FlyersFan

The fact remains in a country where people have guns its pretty dumb to break in to someones home.
a tragic waste of young lives though

Stupid move to break into people's homes. Don't know what people are thinking.....

originally posted by: spirited75
who cares

The 65 year old retired man cares. He's on trial for murder protecting himself.

The lesson to teen criminals ...
Break into an older mans home on Thanksgiving ... and you won't live to eat the turkey.

I'd say he operated in a lawful manner. Of course he did so with unsportsmanlike conduct. They might convict him anyways. Those private prisons need more cheap labor. They lost 2 criminals/slaves over 1 law abiding american. Those courts of equity need those federal reserve notes at all costs.

As much as I understand some people like to believe you have a right to kill to protect your property. Personaly I would rather invest in better security first rather than resort to murdering two people.

Thats just me though.

Wow, what a weird story. It sounds like he was right in defending his home, but wrong for excessive shooting? Once he stopped the threat he should have stopped shooting and dialed 911. Maybe what he said was out of high levels of stress and he didn't know what he really had done. I would feel better with manslaughter charges over 1st degree murder if anything.

originally posted by: 1MrMarc
I would feel better with manslaughter charges over 1st degree murder if anything.

There shouldnt be any charges.

The poor sod was likely scared crapless and full of adrenaline and wasn't thinking.

I know if it was me I would have likely shot and shot and shot some more to make sure they wouldn't get up and hurt me.


Unless you shot someone running away in the back or deliberately torture them to death I don't think home defense should go beyond a investigation to see what happened.

originally posted by: Bellor
I would rather invest in better security first rather than resort to murdering two people.

Is it murder? Or is it self defense?

If this guy gets convicted it'll be a miscarriage of justice. I can see the media now ... painting the teens as smiling and 'known in the community' and 'into sports at school' .... and they'll paint the retired 65 years old as a gun happy nutter instead of a old fella who continually had his home broken into and who needed to protect himself.

I think you may want to do a little more research on this...

This guy did not just shoot intruders he murdered them...

He even admitted to putting a final shot in the head of one of the teens to make sure they were dead. I totally agree with shooting an intruder but this guy wanted to kill them and was not just simply protecting himself. They were unarmed and he know who they were...it's not like he stumbled on two adult males 6 foot tall and 200 pounds and his life was in danger...He stalked them like animals and waited for them ready to kill them. He could have simply called the police but he had a desire to get his own revenge.

No sympathy for idiots. They broke in repeatedly, the owner finally had enough & did the world a favor. 2 less criminals to move on to other targets in the community, that's worthy of at least a public thank you, IMO.

Really, I'm having a very hard time feeling bad for these teens. A very hard time. Stupid is as stupid does.

originally posted by: Bellor
As much as I understand some people like to believe you have a right to kill to protect your property. Personaly I would rather invest in better security first rather than resort to murdering two people.

Thats just me though.

All security can be bypassed.

You think a few locked doors or alarm makes you truly safe?

You think a alarm going off with stop a bullet (or if in your in the UK a stab wound) ?

Why I don't blame any American for owning a hand gun for home defense or if like me in the UK a crossbow and katana

And nothing of value was lost. Give the man a medal, wish we were allowed to kill burglars in the UK.

originally posted by: Bellor
As much as I understand some people like to believe you have a right to kill to protect your property. Personaly I would rather invest in better security first rather than resort to murdering two people.

Thats just me though.

Shooting criminals who break into your home isn't murder, though. It is also a fate that is very easy to avoid by simply not being a douchebag criminal and not break into people's homes.


As for this story, it was a good shoot up until the point he did a "make sure" shot on one of them. If this allegation is true, he is in the wrong because, once the threat is neutralized, shooting to make sure he is dead goes from self defense to murder.

originally posted by: knowledgedesired

He even admitted to putting a final shot in the head of one of the teens to make sure they were dead.

I can see the logic though. If I was terrified I would be scared crap less of not injuring them enough and them getting up and trying to hurt me still.

In a situation like that fear and adrenaline over takes reason.

originally posted by: knowledgedesired
I think you may want to do a little more research on this...

This guy did not just shoot intruders he murdered them...

He even admitted to putting a final shot in the head of one of the teens to make sure they were dead. I totally agree with shooting an intruder but this guy wanted to kill them and was not just simply protecting himself. They were unarmed and he know who they were...it's not like he stumbled on two adult males 6 foot tall and 200 pounds and his life was in danger...He stalked them like animals and waited for them ready to kill them. He could have simply called the police but he had a desire to get his own revenge.

I agree with the point about the "finishing off shot" after the culprit was already shot and down, however I disagree with accusations of "stalking" and "laying in waiting." You can't stalk someone in your own home. Either they were legally supposed to be in his home or not. If not, it doesn't matter if he was waiting for them in a full suit of armor.

a reply to: spirited75

Exactly, 2 less dirtbags in the world, thank you Byron Smith