Brandon Christopher Hyde of Greensboro, NC was convicted of second-degree murder on February 13, 2026 for the March 2021 shotgun killing of his neighbor Jeffrey Michael Goldbach, and on March 17, 2026 a Guilford County Superior Court judge sentenced him to a minimum of 17 years and a maximum of 21 years and five months in prison.1Tri-State Homepage. Man Convicted in Murder Case Involving Former Evansville Otters Player Sentenced The case drew national attention because Goldbach, 41, had been a second-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in 1998.2Evansville Courier & Press. Goldbach, Who Led Otters to Frontier League Title, Shot and Killed
What Happened the Night of the Shooting
On March 7, 2021, around 9:25 p.m., Guilford County sheriff’s deputies were called to the 7600 block of Cedar Chase Drive in a northern Guilford County neighborhood near North Carolina Highway 150. They found Goldbach with serious injuries. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. A second person was shot and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.3WXII 12. Greensboro Northern Guilford County Neighborhood Shooting
Hyde and Goldbach lived on the same street. Hyde was arrested that night, booked into the Guilford County Jail in downtown Greensboro, and charged with first-degree murder.4Greensboro News & Record. Brandon Hyde Charged With First-Degree Murder in Death of Neighbor Jeff Goldbach
A Mistrial, Then a Retrial
Hyde’s first trial began in February 2025. Jurors started deliberating on the afternoon of February 13, 2025, but the next morning the judge declared a mistrial after it was discovered that a juror had brought outside documents and independent research into the jury room.514 News. State Rests in Trial of Man Charged in Princeton Native’s Murder The case was retried a year later before Judge Michael Duncan, with Brenda Brewer prosecuting and attorneys Amiel Rossabi and Jeff Schwartz defending Hyde.6Greensboro News & Record. Brandon Hyde Found Guilty of Second-Degree Murder in Shotgun Slaying of Jeff Goldbach
The Two Sides at Trial
Prosecutors argued that Hyde acted out of rage and jealousy and that the shooting was deliberate. They introduced home security camera footage and audio recordings that captured the sequence of events.6Greensboro News & Record. Brandon Hyde Found Guilty of Second-Degree Murder in Shotgun Slaying of Jeff Goldbach
The defense argued that Hyde fired in defense of another. According to the defense, Goldbach was intoxicated and had attacked Hyde’s wife, Lorrel Hyde, by pulling her hair and beating her head against the ground.6Greensboro News & Record. Brandon Hyde Found Guilty of Second-Degree Murder in Shotgun Slaying of Jeff Goldbach
After four days of testimony, the jury deliberated about five hours before returning a guilty verdict on second-degree murder, a lesser charge than the first-degree murder count on which Hyde was originally indicted.7Tri-State Homepage. North Carolina Jury Finds Man Guilty of Murder in Death of Former Evansville Otter
The Sentence
At the March 17, 2026 sentencing, Judge Duncan imposed an active prison term of 204 to 257 months. Hyde must serve at least 17 years before he becomes eligible for parole.814 News. Princeton Native’s Killer Sentenced in North Carolina
Who Jeff Goldbach Was
Goldbach, 41 at his death, was a Princeton, Indiana native and a father of three. The Chicago Cubs selected him in the second round of the 1998 amateur draft and signed him for a $440,000 bonus. A catcher, he played nine professional seasons, reached Double-A in the Cubs organization, later played in the Texas Rangers system and independent leagues, and led the Evansville Otters to the 2006 Frontier League championship.2Evansville Courier & Press. Goldbach, Who Led Otters to Frontier League Title, Shot and Killed After baseball, he earned an MBA from Oakland City University and worked for seven years as an HR business partner at Analog Devices, Inc. in Greensboro.9Legacy.com / Evansville Courier & Press. Jeffrey Goldbach Obituary
His family stayed publicly silent for nearly five years to avoid jeopardizing the prosecution. After the conviction, his daughter Lexi Goldbach said of the verdict, “The moment that the verdict was read in court was something that we will never forget. It was the moment that we received justice.”1014 News. Family of Former Evansville Otter Murdered Releases Statement Following Killer’s Conviction