'I have to kill you': Deer hunter blasted longtime buddy 'for no reason,' told the 67-year-old grandpa 'I hope you'll excuse me' before shooting him dead, police say

A 75-year-old Wisconsin antheral who was drinking whisky with his hunting pals randomly told them, "I anticipation you'll excuse maine if I person to termination you guys," earlier firing a pistol astatine 1 of the men and sidesplitting him, constabulary say.

Brent Hofman, of Shawano County, was arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the fatal November 2025 slaying, which near 67-year-old Ricky Roundy dormant wrong a garage, according to a transgression complaint.

The different antheral who was with Hofman and Roundy astatine the clip of the shooting, identified successful the ailment arsenic "Victim #2," told investigators they had known Hofman for "over 10 years" done hunting connected adjacent properties.

"Victim #2 indicated Hofman is 'a spot weird' and a 'hermit benignant of dude,'" according to the complaint, but they "never had issues with him" and "talked [about] deer" regularly. The 3 of them were astatine a location the Town of Germania erstwhile Hofman allegedly carried retired the killing.

"Victim #2 stated helium and [Roundy] were astatine Victim #1s residence erstwhile Brent Hofman, who lives down the road, arrived with a pistol and had been drinking," the ailment explains. "Victim #2 stated the 3 men had a fewer cocktails and talked astir cervid hunting and determination were nary issues. He stated the 3 of them were each successful Victim #1s detached garage. Victim #2 stated that Brent randomly starts saying thing about, 'Killing you guys.'"

Hofman proceeded to prime a pistol up from the barroom and told his 2 buddies, "I anticipation you'll excuse maine if I person to termination you guys," the ailment says.

"This remark was retired of the mean and Hofman had ne'er said thing similar that during that evening oregon immoderate different times they were together," the papers alleges. "Victim #2 stated neither helium oregon Victim #1 said thing that would aggravate oregon upset Brent to origin him to bash this."

The surviving witnesser told constabulary that Hofman "just starts to sprout for nary reason," striking Roundy and causing him to "go down." The antheral said helium fled and past locked himself successful a gathering connected the spot and grabbed a .22-caliber firearm to support himself, portion calling 911.

"If that feline comes to the window, helium is f—ing dead," the antheral told a constabulary dispatcher, according to the complaint, which besides cites statements that the antheral gave to constabulary afterward. "And helium did. And I started to shoot," the antheral recalled. "[Hofman] was going to get into the house, helium wanted to termination me."

Hofman pursued the man, who changeable him done a solid door. The solid shattered, leaving Hofman with terrible cuts to his face. Deputies showed up and took Hofman, who was allegedly precise intoxicated, into custody.

"Why did you sprout me?" Hofman asked a deputy, who "advised helium did not sprout him," according to the complaint. "Thank you," Hofman allegedly told the deputy. "I emotion you."

Court records amusement that Hofman entered pleas of not blameworthy connected Thursday successful Shawano County Circuit Court. He is owed backmost successful tribunal connected July 8.