Jurors convict man for 2019 Iron Range murder on victim's property

Jurors in St. Louis County have convicted a 56-year-old man of murder for the beating and shooting death of a man on his Iron Range property more than 2 ¹⁄₂ years ago.

J Nicholas Cramer, of Mora, Minn., was found guilty by a St. Louis County jury Tuesday of second-degree intentional murder after five hours of deliberation in connection with the death of Frank G. Meyer, 47, of Makinen, on Oct. 2, 2019. Cramer remains in custody ahead of sentencing, which is scheduled for May 12.

The verdict came on what would have been Meyer's 51st birthday. In an online obituary, Meyer's family wrote that "Frank enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was very creative and participated in the Ely Winter Festival snow sculpture event for several years."

The County Attorney's Office said in a statement announcing the verdict that "Mr. Meyer was a loving father with natural artistic talent. Mr. Meyer's last known words were a text message to his daughter saying 'Love you.' "

According to the criminal complaint and the Sheriff's Office:

On Oct. 8, 2019, deputies were sent to Meyer's home about 14 miles southeast of Eveleth to check on his welfare and found his body in the garage. An autopsy determined that he had been shot several times, beaten over much of his body and suffocated.

Law enforcement recovered from the home two metal pipes with blood on them that appeared "to be consistent with photos of the injuries to Meyer's head and body."

Cramer had been staying on Meyer's property in a camper with his wife, 49-year-old Michelle L. Cramer.

A witness told law enforcement that Meyer wanted to kick J Nicholas Cramer off his property. After being told to leave, Cramer shot out a window on Meyer's car.

Michelle Cramer told law enforcement she knew nothing about Meyer's death. She also said that she and her husband saw Meyer at his property on Oct. 2, 2019, at 8 p.m., then drove home to Mora.

However, surveillance video showed them more than two hours later farther from Mora at an Eveleth gas station. Also, J Nicholas Cramer's cellphone was detected by law enforcement in the area of Meyer's property shortly before 10 that night.

Law enforcement located six spent .22-caliber cartridges where Meyer test-fired a gun while buying it in the spring of 2019. The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension determined that they matched two cartridge casings on Meyer's garage floor, two located outside the garage and one in Cramer's camper.