Murder suspect pleads innocent

A man accused of bludgeoning a Kalispell man to death with a hammer in an effort to steal medical marijuana pleaded innocent Thursday to an amended slate of charges in Flathead District Court.

Jeffrey Allen Nixon, 20, pleaded not guilty for a second time after the Flathead County Attorney’s Office added felony burglary to charges including deliberate homicide, robbery and tampering with physical evidence.

Prosecutors also included one felony count of accountability for deliberate homicide as an alternative to the deliberate homicide charge. Both carry a possible penalty of between 10 and 100 years in Montana State Prison.

Nixon entered the not guilty plea through his attorney Noel Larrivee and remained silent throughout the afternoon hearing. He’s being held in the Flathead County Detention Center.

Because of the new charge, District Judge Stewart Stadler agreed to delay Nixon’s trial, which had been scheduled to begin March 21.

Nixon is one of five people charged or convicted of felonies for their alleged involvement in the death of 49-year-old Wesley Collins.

Collins had been sharing marijuana with Nixon and Robert Lake on April 12, 2010, when the pair allegedly attacked him and beat him to death with hammers, according to court documents.

Lake, 22, pleaded guilty Feb. 14 to deliberate homicide and tampering with physical evidence after reaching a plea agreement with the Flathead County Attorney’s Office.

He has not yet been sentenced, but prosecutors are recommending a 110-year sentence without parole restrictions as part of the agreement.

Lake told investigators that he and Nixon killed Collins for money and marijuana, according to court documents. During his sentencing hearing, he said Nixon’s involvement was “equal as mine.”

Lake and Nixon allegedly disposed of Collins’ body in a wooded area west of Kalispell with the help of 28-year-old Cody Naldrett, who is scheduled for trial March 21.

Naldrett is charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs and tampering with physical evidence.

Two other people involved in the crime already have been sentenced.

Joshua Fritz, 21, pleaded no contest in October to felony tampering with evidence.

He had been accused of going to Collins’ apartment days after the murder to steal marijuana plants, weight equipment and other items. After examining text messages between Fritz and Karrolyn Robinson, Lake’s girlfriend, investigators learned Fritz had disposed of Collins’ phone while fleeing his apartment.

He received a five-year suspended sentence with probation but no prison time.

Robinson was sentenced in December to eight years in Montana Women’s Prison after pleading guilty in October to tampering with evidence and theft.

Reporter Eric Schwartz may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at eschwartz@dailyinterlake.com.