A York County man has been sentenced to prison for killing his neighbor during a late-night campfire gathering that turned violent nearly two years ago. According to online court records, 37-year-old Zachary Neiman of Hanover received a sentence of eight to 16 years from Judge Kathleen Prendergast on Oct. 27.
Neiman previously entered a nolo contendere plea to third-degree murder. The plea means he did not admit guilt but accepted the punishment imposed by the court. A separate involuntary manslaughter charge was dismissed as part of the proceedings.
Court documents from Northern York Regional Police describe how Neiman and 47-year-old Michael Byers were spending the evening around a campfire on April 30, 2023, at a property along the 6400 block of Pigeon Hill Road. At some point, an argument escalated into a physical fight.
According to the investigation, neighbors reported hearing shouting from the campfire area. Neiman was later quoted as telling others, “I just beat the **** out of Mike,” after they heard the commotion, as per ABC27 News.
When officers arrived, they found Neiman performing chest compressions on Byers, but police noted that Byers was already “cold to the touch.” Neiman told officers he could not clearly remember the details of the altercation, saying he and Byers had been drinking before the fight.
An autopsy revealed that Byers died from blunt force injuries in combination with ethanol intoxication. Medical examiners documented several abrasions and lacerations on his body, consistent with the violent struggle described in the police report.
Investigators said Byers lived in a detached apartment building on Neiman’s property, and the two men were known to socialize. What triggered the confrontation remains unclear, and Neiman’s impaired memory of the events left gaps in the timeline.
Family members of Byers attended the sentencing hearing and expressed grief over the loss, while prosecutors argued that the level of violence warranted a substantial prison term. The judge agreed, citing the severity of the injuries and Neiman’s responsibility for the escalation of the fight.
Neiman will serve his sentence in state custody, with credit for time already spent in jail.