DULUTH – Christopher F. Boder, one of two men charged in the shooting death of a Duluth man last fall, has been found guilty of second-degree aiding and abetting murder.

A verdict was reached after a five-day jury trial and was witnessed by emotional family members, who watched the trial over a closed-circuit television stream throughout the pandemic-adapted proceedings.

Timothy Nelson died after being shot in the stomach on Sept. 22. Authorities say the shooting stemmed from a drug deal that turned into a robbery and retaliation.

According to charges, Nelson dropped off a woman near a West Duluth home to buy methamphetamine from Boder. A short time later, Nelson approached Boder, demanding money and flashing a BB gun before a brief scuffle.

Driving away, Boder asked the woman if she had a phone number for Nelson's parents "to let them know where to find Nelson's body," charges say.

Later that night, police say, Boder and James M. Peterson confronted and shot Nelson, who died in the early hours of Sept. 22. He was 33 and had five children.

Peterson, 39, has not yet faced trial on his second-degree aiding and abetting murder charge. His next hearing is Nov. 16.

Boder's defense attorney had asked for the case to be dismissed due to problems with the "accomplice testimony" of the woman, Jamie Sanford, and "no other direct evidence that puts Boder at the crime scene, nor direct evidence of any kind," according to court filings.

Boder, 32, faces up to 40 years in prison.

Two women have also been charged with felony aiding and abetting an offender in the case.

Brooks Johnson • 218-491-6496