Murder convict charged after attack with 5-iron leaves man in critical condition
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A man previously convicted of murder has been charged again after he allegedly left a man in critical condition following an attack with a 5-iron.
Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Monday, June 2, indicate that Eric L. Neal, 53, of Kansas City, has been charged with assault in the first degree.
A probable cause statement filed by the Kansas City Police Department revealed that around 8:05 p.m. on Sunday, law enforcement officials were called to the area of E. 10th and Grand Blvd. with reports of a disturbance.
When they arrived, first responders said they found a man on the ground with apparent wounds to his face and head. He was unable to speak and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Investigators noted that what happened to the man had been recorded on city cameras. A group of men had been seen as they began to fight near the intersection. A suspect later identified as Neal took a golf club and beat the victim with it multiple times.
Law enforcement officials said traffic cameras led them to find the group that assaulted the victim at a nearby bus stop, where Neal was taken into custody. A broken 5-iron was found at the scene of the crime.
During an interview with detectives, Neal allegedly itted to hitting the man with a golf club but claimed it had been in self-defense. He also claimed to have blacked out and did not the rest of the attack.
As of Monday, investigators said the victim remains intubated and unidentified due to the extent of his injuries. Throughout the investigation, it was found that Neal had previously been convicted of murder in the second degree.
As a result, Neal has been charged with assault in the first degree. If convicted, he could be sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. He remains behind bars on a $100,000 bond as of Wednesday evening.
A bond review hearing has been set for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10, with a preliminary hearing expected at 2 p.m. on July 2. No further information has been released.
Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.
