In the small town of Perham, Minnesota, a quiet night was shattered by a brutal act of violence that claimed the life of a Caucasian male named Brandon Snyder. On the evening of March 30, 2020, an argument between roommates over a missing firearm escalated into a horrific confrontation. The dispute took place at a residence on the 600 block of 1st Avenue, where Snyder lived with his 40-year-old roommate, Derek Sweere.
According to law enforcement, the altercation began in a stairwell and
quickly turned deadly. In the moments leading up to the violence, a sense of dread seemingly washed over Snyder, as he sent a text message to his mother, pleading with her to come and get him because he was afraid of Sweere. His fear, tragically, was well-founded. The verbal disagreement spiraled into a physical struggle, culminating in Sweere allegedly stabbing Snyder in both of his eyes with a folding knife.
After the initial stabbing, at which point Snyder was no longer fighting back, the violence intensified. Sweere is said to have then retrieved a. 22 caliber rifle and shot his roommate 15 times. Still not finished, he proceeded to his bedroom to get a. 270 caliber rifle and shot Snyder one final time. After the gruesome attack, Sweere took the time to turn on all the lights in the house and tidy up the kitchen before contacting the Perham Police Department.
When officers arrived at the scene, Sweere met them and admitted to the killing. He was taken into custody and subsequently charged with second-degree murder and being in possession of a firearm and ammunition with a prior conviction for a violent crime. During questioning, Sweere claimed that he had acted in self-defense after Snyder had bitten his arm. He also informed investigators that he had consumed a few beers and some brandy on the night of the murder.
