Almond shooter held on $1 million cash bond
By Brandi Makuski
A Portage Co. judge has ordered a $1 million cash bond for the 31-year-old suspect in a fatal Almond shooting.
Steven Breneman, 31, of Almond, was arrested following an hour-long manhunt near Fourth Ave. and County J in the Town of Almond on May 5. He appeared before Judge Robert Shannon via video from the Portage Co. Jail on May 7 on a charge of first-degree intentional homicide.
Breneman had his head lowered for most of his time on camera.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they could see blood splatter on the porch, and the victim, 45-year-old Donald Brewer, dead from a gunshot wound, according to District Attorney Louis Molepske.
A verbal altercation between Breneman and Brewer, who were neighbors, escalated when Breneman “retrieved a firearm from his waistband and shot two rounds ‘center mass’ at Mr. Brewer,” Molepske said, but offered no additional details on the gun used.
“Mr. Breneman told officers that prior to the shooting, Mr. Brewer had not threatened him in any way, nor did he produce a weapon,” Molepske said, adding Brewer’s two male children witnessed their father being shot.
Breneman reportedly talked with deputies voluntarily, also admitting that he fled the scene. He returns to court May 29.
