Man admits role in covering up killing
A Kalispell man admitted Tuesday in Flathead District Court that he helped hide the body of a man who was bludgeoned to death with hammers in April 2010.
Cody Naldrett, 28, pleaded guilty by Alford plea to felony tampering with or fabricating of physical evidence related to the murder of Wesley Collins of Kalispell.
The Alford plea has the same practical effect as a guilty plea, allowing Naldrett to assert his innocence while admitting there is enough evidence to convict him of the charges.
In exchange for his plea, the Flathead County Attorney’s Office agreed to support the dismissal of an additional charge of felony possession of dangerous drugs.
Naldrett testified at Tuesday’s hearing that he was asked by Robert Lake and Jeffrey Nixon to help hide the body after the two men had killed him days earlier.
Naldrett’s attorney, Lane Bennett, asked Naldrett what Lake and Nixon had asked him to do.
“Dispose of the body,” he replied.
That was the longest answer Naldrett gave during the 30-minute hearing during which he replied with one-word answers that confirmed he has read the plea agreement and is aware of the facts surrounding the case.
Bennett said the plea deal recommends a nine-year sentence with all but six months suspended. Under the agreement, Naldrett, who has been in the Flathead County jail since April 20, 2010, would not get credit for time served.
Bennett said the original offer from the County Attorney’s Office was a 10-year sentence with all but 18 months suspended. He said Naldrett accepted the second offer because it would ensure his sentence would be spent in county jail and not Montana State Prison.
Naldrett also reserves the right to argue for a lesser sentence at a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 28 at 9 a.m in Flathead District Court.
He’s the fourth person to be convicted of felony charges since the April 12, 2010, murder of 49-year-old Collins. Lake and Nixon allegedly admitted beating him with hammers as part of a plan to steal his money and marijuana plants.
Naldrett helped put Collins’ body in a pickup truck sometime between April 12 and April 17 and helped drag it into the woods off of Patrick Creek Road.
When Nixon and Lake were found and arrested at Collins’ apartment after a burglary was reported, they both allegedly told about Naldrett’s involvement, according to court documents.
A search of Naldrett’s apartment yielded two marijuana plants and a number of prescription pills that had been prescribed to Collins.
Nixon pleaded innocent March 10 to amended charges of deliberate homicide, robbery and tampering with physical evidence. A trial has not been scheduled.
Lake pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide Feb. 14 after reaching an agreement with prosecutors but has not yet been sentenced.
Lake’s former girlfriend, Karrolyn Robinson, was sentenced in December to eight years in Montana Women’s Prison after pleading guilty in October to tampering with evidence and theft.
Joshua Fritz pleaded no contest in October to felony tampering with evidence and received a five-year suspended sentence with probation but no prison time.