Man Allegedly Strangled Minn. Mom to Death While Out on Bail for Prior Strangulation Charge

A Minnesota mother was found dead in August, and authorities have recently arrested a man they believe killed her after the two met at a bar. 

Christopher Neal, 45, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder among other criminal offenses in connection with the death of 38-year-old Victoria Gamble, according to the criminal complaint obtained by KSTP, Northern News Now and WJON.

Gamble was found dead in her Sauk Rapids, Minn., home on Aug. 12, the same day authorities allege she met Neal at a bar, KSTP reports, citing the complaint. A GoFundMe campaign created by Gamble’s loved ones in the wake of her death claims the man she met “offered to drive her home and she accepted.”

According to the complaint, also cited by Northern News Now, footage from the bar on Aug. 11 shows Gamble interacting with a man authorities later allegedly identified as Neal and leaving the business later that night with the same man. Neal was also allegedly seen in footage entering Gamble’s apartment with her and leaving the apartment alone a couple hours later, per the complaint.

The complaint further states that investigators who searched Gamble’s apartment reported that the woman’s car and apartment keys were missing, according to Northern News Now. Authorities claim Neal fled the scene in Gamble’s vehicle, which was found near the Louisiana hotel where Neal was arrested in August, the outlet reported, citing the complaint.

Neal allegedly admitted to investigators that he took a vehicle and was in a woman’s apartment in Sauk Rapids, but had limited memory of what happened, according to the complaint also cited by WJON. 

An autopsy completed in October determined that Gamble died by strangulation and her death was ruled a homicide, WJON reported, citing the complaint. Neal is being held in the Aitkin County Jail on charges related to a separate case, per the outlet.

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According to court documents cited by Northern News Now, Neal was out on bail at the time of Gamble’s killing after being charged with domestic assault strangulation in Aitkin County on Aug. 1. and was charged later that month with violating a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order set in place with the alleged victim.

It’s unclear if Neal has entered a plea or retained an attorney in the assault and murder cases.

Gamble was remembered on the GoFundMe campaign as a proud mother of two boys. 

“She loved her boys with all her heart and soul, and they were the center of her world,” the fundraiser states. “She was also a dear and loving friend to many people.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.