HUDSON, Wis. — A Minnesota man has been convicted of killing a high school student and injuring four others while they were tubing on a river in western Wisconsin. The 54-year-old man, Nicolae Miu, was found guilty of first-degree reckless homicide, four counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and one count of battery in a Wisconsin circuit court jury trial.
The incident occurred on the Apple River in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, where Miu stabbed 17-year-old Isaac Schuman of Stillwater, Minnesota, to death in late July 2022. Along with Schuman, two men from Luck, Wisconsin, a woman from Burnsville, Minnesota, and a man from Elk River, Minnesota, were also wounded during the attack.
According to court documents, the altercation began when Miu was accused of approaching children in the water while tubing with his wife and others. Miu claimed he was using a snorkel and goggles to look for a lost cellphone, but witnesses alleged that he was bothering a group of juveniles. When told to leave, Miu punched a woman, leading to a fight during which he stabbed one of the victims.
During his defense, Miu stated that he acted in self-defense, claiming that he was provoked by the victims. However, prosecutors argued that Miu had opportunities to de-escalate the situation or walk away before it turned violent. Despite this, Miu was ultimately found guilty by the jury.
After the verdict was announced, Miu’s attorney, Aaron Nelson, expressed surprise and disappointment, stating that his client was saddened and contemplating his future. Meanwhile, Schuman’s family remembered him as an honor roll student preparing to apply to universities to study electrical engineering.
The sentencing date for Miu has not been set, but his conviction for the killing of Isaac Schuman and the injuring of four others on the Apple River marks a tragic event that has left a community in mourning and seeking justice for the victims.