ONOWA, Iowa (KCAU) — The family of late Joseph Hopkins has filed a suit against Jay Neubaum, who was convicted for the Hopkins murder, and his family.  

Mother Crystal Lea Hopkins, his 16-year-old brother, and sister Destiny Roling are suing Jay Lee Neubaum along with his father Aron Neubaum and grandmother Deborah Jean Neubaum for negligence and loss of consortium, according to the lawsuit. 

The lawsuit states that on January 31, 2020, Jay Neubaum, Joseph Hopkins, and Jaxon Hopkins were in a garage at a residence owned by Deborah Neubaum and they were working on a derby car while sending Snapchat photos and playing with guns.  

The filing indicates that while Jay Neubaum was handling a shotgun that was owned by his father, Aron Neubaum, the gun was fired, and the shot struck and killed Joseph Hopkins.  

According to the documents, Jay Neubaum’s negligence in handling the shotgun caused the death of Joseph Hopkins.  

The lawsuit states that Aron Neubaum was in a position to control the actions of his son and was negligent in allowing him access to a loaded and unlocked firearm, therefor his negligence was a proximate cause of Joseph Hopkins’s death.  

The documents outline Deborah Neubaum as the owner of the property where the incident occurred and was negligent in allowing her grandson access to the gun.  

The lawsuit indicates that the family of Joseph Hopkins has suffered from the circumstances of his death and will continue to suffer his loss.  

They have asked for a trial by jury and a judgment in a fair and reasonable amount to compensate for their loss.  

Jay Neubaum was convicted of murder on May 20th, 2021, for the killing of Joseph Hopkins, and six months later he waived his rights in a case in which he was accused of 10 counts of 3rd-degree sexual abuse.