A Minnesota man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of 38-year-old Victoria Gamble, whose body was found in her Sauk Rapids home in August.
Authorities allege Christopher Neal, 45, killed the mother of two after meeting her at a bar.
On the night of August 11, Gamble reportedly met Neal at a local bar, where security footage shows them interacting. Later that evening, they left together, and Neal was seen entering Gamble’s apartment with her.
Investigators later found that Gamble’s car and apartment keys were missing, and Neal was seen leaving the apartment alone a couple of hours later, according to the criminal complaint.
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Gamble’s body was discovered the following day, August 12. An autopsy confirmed that she died by strangulation, ruling her death a homicide.
Neal fled the scene in Gamble’s vehicle, which was later found near a hotel in Louisiana, where he was arrested.
When questioned, Neal admitted to being in the apartment but claimed he had limited memory of the events, the complaint states.
Neal had been out on bail for a separate strangulation charge related to a domestic assault case just days before Gamble’s death.
He was also accused of violating a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order later that month.
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The tragic loss of Victoria Gamble, described as a devoted mother of two boys, has left her family and friends heartbroken.
A GoFundMe page created in her honor described her as someone who “loved her boys with all her heart and soul.”
Neal is currently held in the Aitkin County Jail, facing charges related to both the assault and murder.