On the evening of August 27, 2025, 59-year-old male Andrew Sperhac was found outside a residence on the 45500 block of Yermo Road in Newberry Springs with multiple gunshot wounds. Deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Barstow Station were dispatched around 7:24 p.m. for a report of an assault with a deadly weapon; despite life-saving efforts, Andrew Sperhac was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Sheriff’s Homicide Detail determined that a dispute between neighbors had escalated into gunfire, shattering the quiet desert stretch where the homes sit scattered off the highway.
Investigators quickly learned the confrontation involved Andrew Sperhac and his neighbor, 53-year-old Paul Weinhold. According to the initial account released by authorities, the argument flared and turned violent, culminating in shots that left Andrew Sperhac fatally wounded outside his home. A community meeting report later summarized the incident in stark terms—deputies arrived to find a male victim dead from gunfire and identified Weinhold as the suspect.
Detectives from the Specialized Investigations Division took over the case, documenting the location, time, and chain of events and urging witnesses to come forward. The case file noted specific points of contact within the Homicide Detail and assigned numbers tracking the investigation as it moved from the scene to the evidence room and onward toward charging decisions. In the days that followed, memorial listings recorded the loss of Andrew Sperhac to gun violence in Newberry Springs, marking the date and place while community members left brief tributes.
An arrest followed swiftly. Paul Weinhold was taken into custody at the scene, booked on suspicion of murder, and held without bail at the High Desert Detention Center as the investigation continued. Authorities asked anyone with information to contact the Homicide Detail and provided anonymous tip options through We-Tip, underscoring that the official inquiry remained active even with a suspect in jail.
