0
0
A former veterinarian in Oregon has been found guilty of murder for fatally stalking the husband of a co-worker with whom he had an affair for several years.
A Washington County jury convicted Steven Neil Milner on Jan. 22 of second-degree murder after prosecutors said he “ambushed” Kenneth Fandrich on Jan. 27, 2023 — sneaking up on Fandrich outside his job, putting him in a chokehold and squeezing his neck until his last breath.
Milner was also pronounced guilty on charges of stalking and seven counts of violating a protective order.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 18.
Fandrich was found dead in a parking garage on Intel Corporation’s Ronler Acres campus, where he worked as a contractor and had endured several years of stalking and harassment as a result of his wife’s betrayal.
Milner’s murder conviction marks the conclusion to one of the most harrowing stalking cases ever documented, with life-or-death consequences unfolding 13 miles southeast of Portland, the state’s largest city.
Prosecutors revealed that Milner used GPS devices and “burner” vehicles, wore clever disguises and even tampered with security cameras as part of a boundless stalking campaign against Fandrich, culminating in an innocent man’s death, according to reports.
Milner was a licensed veterinarian with a practice in Oregon City when he became romantically involved with one of his longtime employees, whose name was not disclosed by authorities.
As the months went by, the low-key romance turned to obsession.
However, when Fandrich found out his wife was cheating in early 2022, the illicit affair screeched to a sudden stop, with the woman telling Milner they could no longer see each other.
But Milner was not ready to let go. Milner admitted under oath that he actively tried to break up the Fandriches, even going as far as impersonating his wife, a high school classmate of Kenneth Fandrich, via text message to lure Kenneth to his house. Milner testified that he knew Kenneth didn’t have a valid driver’s license and hoped he would be arrested on the way.
During questioning by his attorney, Amanda Alvarez Thibeault, it was revealed that Milner also orchestrated an elaborate scheme involving fake photos sent to Kenneth’s home, designed to make it appear Kenneth had fathered a child with another woman.
“Yes,” Milner admitted when asked if he had sent the photos.
“What were you thinking when you did that?” Thibeault pressed.
“I was trying to push them into breaking up,” Milner responded.
He also confessed to planting a condom wrapper in one of their cars to sow further discord.
“I was trying to push them toward the edge,” Milner stated bluntly.
Then the stalking began.
In March 2022, Fandrich sought legal help and a court granted a protection order.
But that didn’t stop Milner, who placed GPS tracking devices on the Fandrichs’ vehicles while home surveillance cameras revealed he had trespassed on their property to do it.
The tracking devices alerted Milner to the couple’s every move, allowing him to shadow Fandrich to his Oregon City home and workplace in Hillsboro “more than a dozen times,” prosecutors said.
Milner was once charged in Clackamas County for violating the court order but continued to stalk the couple while on conditional release, prosecutors revealed during testimony.
In October 2022, Milner bought a cheap car on Craigslist as a covert way to follow Fandrich to his workplace without being recognized.
On Dec. 13, 2022, Intel surveillance captured Milner in disguise inside the parking garage. While there, he used spray paint to cover several security cameras, including those monitoring Fandrich’s usual parking spot, in what appeared to be a test of Intel’s security measures.
In the weeks that followed, Milner returned to the Intel parking structure multiple times, closely observing Fandrich’s work routine.
In early January 2023, Milner bought a second vehicle, a minivan, using a false identity, which he then used to surveil Fandrich on the Intel campus.
Milner used both cars as part of his meticulous plan to murder Fandrich, according to reports citing court documents.
First, Milner entered the parking garage in disguise and once again spray-painted the security cameras before Fandrich parked and walked inside. Milner then left the scene and returned later in the newly purchased minivan, parking it next to Fandrich’s car. He then lay in wait inside the van until Fandrich got off work.
As Fandrich reached his car, Milner ambushed him from behind, locking him in the deadly sleeper hold. After killing Fandrich, Milner staged the scene, placing his body and belongings back in the car to make it appear as though he had died of natural causes.
Fandrich was later discovered dead in his car, but an autopsy revealed injuries to his neck and spine, confirming the cause of death as a homicide.
More than a year after the killing, police arrested Milner and charged him with murder on Jan. 31, 2023.
During the trial, Milner took the stand in his own defense, claiming he acted in self-defense after Fandrich attacked him. Needless to say, the jury didn’t buy it.
Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard and Deputy District Attorney Mahalee Streblow prosecuted the case before Judge Erik Buchér.
In Oregon, second-degree murder carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Felony stalking can result in a sentence of up to 5 years, depending on prior convictions or other factors. The charge for violating a protective order is typically classified as a misdemeanor, which can carry up to 1 year in jail. Given the seven counts against Milner, this could add additional time to his sentence.
The judge might consider the severity of Milner’s actions, including the premeditation and the impact on the victim’s family, as well as any aggravating or mitigating factors during the sentencing. The exact sentence could vary, but it’s likely Milner could face a long prison term, potentially upwards of 20 years in total, depending on how the court chooses to impose sentences for each conviction.
Authorities did not specify whether Milner’s deadly actions were driven by revenge or a desire to reconcile with the woman.
In an online obituary, Fandrich was described as “an accomplished outdoorsman” who “most enjoyed sitting in front of the fire or in his beautifully landscaped backyard with his friends, family, and fur babies,” according to the Sacramento Bee. He “had a huge heart” and “would be the first to lend a helping hand, whether he knew you or not,” the obituary stated.
Read More from Atlanta Black Star
