Jurry Vulich photo contributed by Miles, Sears & Eanni

The family of a Fresno County man whose brother stands accused of murdering him over a farming dispute was awarded $2.77 million by a jury this week in a wrongful death lawsuit.

Jurry Vulich, age 68 at the time of his death on Oct. 23, 2020, arrived at the family farm he inherited near Manning and Fruit avenues to remove grapevines to switch to almond trees. His brother Norman Vulich, 61 had living rights on the property and disagreed with the crop switch. Norman is accused of shooting Jerry twice in the back with a shotgun, hiding the body near a compost pile and covering with items from the farm.

After a one-week wrongful death trial, a Fresno County jury awarded Jerry’s wife Sharon Vulich $529,447 for economic losses. For non-economic damages, Sharon and her two adult daughters Nicole Vulich Miller and Crystal Vulich were awarded $2.25 million by the jury.

The jury also found that Norman acted with malice, oppression or fraud on that day, said Lyndsie Russell, lead trial attorney with Miles, Sears & Eanni law firm in Fresno, in a news release.

The criminal case against Norman Vulich is still pending. He remains in custody at the Fresno County Jail.

A pre-preliminary hearing in Norman’s murder case is scheduled March 21 in front of Fresno County Judge Gabriel Brickey.

“This verdict represents the first step in receiving justice for the Vulich family. They suffered an immense loss of their husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather on October 23, 2020. The family looks forward to the resolution of the criminal case, the final step in receiving justice for the senseless death of Jerry Vulich,” Russell said.