photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured in March of 2022. The center houses the Douglas County District Court and other county services.

A recently released police affidavit alleges that a man violently strangled another man near the Lawrence Community Shelter, where both men were living.

The defendant, George Miller, 34, is charged in Douglas County District Court with second-degree murder in connection with the strangulation death of Christopher Allen Lickteig, 43, on June 11 at the intersection of 25th Terrace and Franklin Road around 10:30 p.m., as the Journal-World reported.

According to an affidavit in support of Miller’s arrest, two people were driving through the intersection and saw a man, later identified as Miller, straddling another man, Lickteig, who was lying on his stomach in the grass, and was either choking him from behind or punching him.

The people first drove on but soon turned around to see what was happening. When they returned, they could see that Lickteig was “screaming for help and spitting blood” as Miller had him in a rear choke-hold.

One of the witnesses yelled at Miller to stop but Miller ignored the witness, tightened his grip, and continued choking Lickteig until Lickteig stopped screaming, the affidavit said. The witness then saw Lickteig’s eyes roll back into his head and his body went limp. The witness told police that at one point Miller stuck his entire hand into Lickteig’s mouth and Miller continued to choke Lickteig until a sheriff’s deputy arrived.

Miller then pushed Lickteig’s limp body to the ground and tried to run but the deputy was able to apprehend him, the affidavit said.

Miller is being held on a $500,000 bond and is next scheduled to appear in court on July 17 for a status conference.