Man sentenced nearly 29 years for role in fatal shooting of Duluth man after drug-related dispute

A 41-year-old man was given a nearly 29-year term for his role in the fatal shooting of a Duluth man that stemmed from a drug deal that turned into a robbery and retaliation.

James M. Peterson of Superior, Wis., was sentenced Monday in St. Louis County District Court after a jury convicted him of aiding and abetting second-degree murder in connection with the death of Timothy J. Nelson, 33, on Sept. 22, 2019.

With credit for the nearly 3½ years in custody since his arrest, Peterson is expected to serve slightly more than 16¾ years of his sentence in prison and the balance on supervised release.

Co-defendant Christopher F. Boder, 34, of Duluth was convicted of the same count and given a 25½-year sentence. He can expect to serve nearly 16 years in prison and the balance on supervised release.

According to the charges against both men:

Nelson dropped off a woman near a West Duluth home to buy methamphetamine from Boder. A short time later, Nelson approached Boder, demanded money and flashed a BB gun before a brief scuffle.

Later that night, Boder and Peterson confronted Nelson in his pickup truck in the 300 block of North 62nd Avenue W. Nelson was shot and died early the next day.

Charging Boder and Peterson with aiding and abetting did not require the prosecution to prove who pulled the trigger.