The estranged wife of a Delta Airlines pilot fatally shot her cousin-turned-live-in boyfriend during a late-night drunken rampage and cried to cops that she “really f–ked up” before they found his bloodied body.
Jennifer Lynn Lieber was sentenced to 25 and a half years in jail on Tuesday after she was found guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of David J. Nanovic inside her $1.7 million Minnesota mansion.
Lieber had been drinking beer and blackberry brandy inside her Scott County home, watching TV with Nanovic and his 10-year-old son when she became agitated and grabbed a handgun on March 4, 2024, according to court records viewed by The Post.
Lieber, who was then 45 years old, waved the gun around, threatening to kill herself and them, as Nanovic, his son, and Lieber’s children became concerned about her mental state.
Lieber had allowed Nanovic, her cousin, to stay in her pool house with her son while she was splitting from her husband. During his stay, the two became close and “began a romantic relationship with one another,” court documents claim.
Nanovic’s son told police that Lieber called her close lover, “racial slurs and hurtful things” during the tirade, revealing that she had been abusive to Nanovic and compared living in the home to “living in hell,” according to the arrest documents.
Nanovic and his son managed to escape the home, fleeing to the pool house where they were staying.
At one point, Lieber’s biological children went to the detached structure, where they asked Nanovic to check on the dogs inside the home.
The father-son duo attempted to return to the house but were met by Lieber, who again threatened them before firing a shot, missing everyone.
During a second attempt to check on the home, the 45-year-old father went inside but never returned to his son.
Lieber’s sons called her soon-to-be-ex husband, Stuart Lieber, saying their mother “was not acting normal.”
Stuart Lieber, a pilot for Delta, called 911, requesting a wellness check by police.
Police arrived to find Lieber outside her home, sobbing and with her hands in the air, claiming she “really f–cked up.”
Officers entered the home and found Nanovic lying unresponsive at the bottom of the basement stairs.
He was covered in blood with a handgun next to him.
Lieber told police that she had kicked the gun out of Nanovic’ hands during a confrontation and the weapon went off, striking Nanovic.
“I loved him,” she said.
Officials ruled Nanovic died from a gunshot wound to the forehead, fired at close range.
She was convicted of second-degree murder on Jan. 30 following a two-week trial.
“The successful prosecution of this case reflects the commitment of our investigators and our partnership with the Scott County Attorney’s Office to seek justice for victims of violent crime,” Sheriff Luke Hennen said in a statement obtained by the Prior Lake News Compass. “Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of David Nanovic as they continue to navigate this loss.”
“This was a tragic and preventable act of violence,” Scott County Attorney Ron Hocevar added. “We are grateful for the work of law enforcement and the jury in holding the defendant accountable. While today’s sentencing cannot undo the harm caused, we hope it brings some measure of justice to the victim’s family.”
Lieber will serve over 16 years in prison before serving the remainder of her sentence on supervised release.
She will be credited with 232 days of time served.
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