Arrest total hits four in murder case

A Kalispell woman faces charges of theft, burglary and tampering with evidence related to a local murder case.

Karrolyn Robinson, 19, of Kalispell was arrested Wednesday. She is listed in court documents as the common-law wife of Robert Allen Lake, 21, a suspect in the homicide.

Lake and Jeffrey Allen Nixon, 19, both of Kalispell, are accused of bludgeoning Wesley Collins to death, stealing his money and medical marijuana plants, then trying to cover up the grisly crime.

According to court documents, Kalispell Police officers located three marijuana plants and many of Collins’ personal items, including a flat-screen television, tools, weight equipment and prescription medications, during a search of Robinson’s apartment after she allegedly admitted entering Collins’ residence with Lake and another individual to remove the marijuana plants.

She initially was questioned as part of the homicide investigation.

After Lake reportedly disclosed to police that he and Nixon had killed Collins on April 12, Robinson was asked to turn over Lake’s phone, which was in Robinson’s name.

The phone had been released to Lake’s brother after the homicide.

Although Robinson brought the phone to police, officers learned she had sent Lake’s brother a text message informing him to delete all of the text messages from the phone, and also deleted the text messages off her phone.

“Robinson was aware of the pending investigation and intentionally had the text messages removed... knowing that they were of evidentiary value,” court documents state.

Cody Naldrett, 27, of Kalispell, also faces felony charges of evidence tampering for allegedly helping Lake and Nixon dispose of Collins’ body near Kalispell.

Robinson is in custody at the Flathead County Detention Center and has yet to make an initial appearance. Her bond has been set at $60,000.

Lake and Nixon remain in custody on $500,000 bond.

Naldrett is held on $50,000 bond.

Robinson was wanted on a felony warrant for accountability to robbery for her alleged involvement in the September 2009 robbery of an Evergreen casino. Lake previously was charged with robbery for that alleged crime.

If sentenced the maximum on all counts: Robinson could face 40 years in the state prison and a $150,000 fine; life in prison and a $100,000 fine could be in store for Lake and Nixon; and Naldrett could face 15 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Lake, Nixon and Naldrett will next appear in Flathead County District Court to be arraigned on May 6 at 9 a.m.