In a tragic and senseless act of violence, 73-year-old Michael David Lohmeier was fatally shot on November 4, 2023, while sitting in his car in a parking lot near the Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree, Colorado. Lohmeier, a retired Denver Public Schools employee who was still working part-time for the district, had just enjoyed a walk along a nearby bike path.
He was a kind, caring, and humorous man, a loving father to his two adopted sons from South Korea, and a beloved brother to his five siblings. An alumnus of Limon High School, he was remembered as an all-around athlete and a talented musician and photographer.
The investigation into the seemingly random killing led authorities to James Matthew Neal, a 23-year-old man who was on parole for a prior violent felony. Security footage from the mall captured a stolen Ford F-150 fleeing the scene, which was later traced to Neal. A woman who had borrowed the truck from Neal told investigators that he had confessed to killing someone. His own mother had contacted his parole officer with safety concerns just days after the murder.
A multi-state manhunt for Neal concluded with his arrest in Wyoming following a high-speed chase. The pursuit was initiated after investigators used GPS tracking on a stolen iPad to locate a vehicle connected to a series of car thefts, which ultimately led them to Neal. At the time of his arrest, he was found with seven stolen guns and drugs.
Initially charged with first-degree murder, Neal later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, motor vehicle theft, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. The plea deal was accepted by Lohmeier's family to avoid the emotional toll of a trial. On October 24, 2024, James Neal was sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison. The judge acknowledged Neal's history of mental health issues, substance abuse, and exposure to domestic violence but ultimately described the killing of Michael Lohmeier as a senseless act.
