100 years for role in murder

A 19-year-old Kalispell man was sentenced to 100 years in prison Wednesday on charges related to the bludgeoning murder of Wesley “Bubba” Collins.

Jeffrey Allen Nixon had previously been found guilty of accountability to deliberate homicide, robbery, burglary and tampering with physical evidence July 15.

Collins, 45, was beaten with a hammer before being strangled to death in his Two Mile Drive apartment in Kalispell on April 12, 2010. His body was later found in a wooded area off Patrick Creek Road. Robert Lake was convicted of the murder itself earlier this year and is now serving a 110-year sentence in state prison. He is appealing his conviction.

Jurors determined Nixon did not participate directly in the murder, despite his presence, but took steps to cover it up after the fact.

Sitting in the court of District Judge Stewart Stadler Friday, Nixon faced Collins’ family as they gave statements before Stadler passed sentence.

Collins’ sister Kathy called Nixon and others involved “evil beasts, deceitful and bloodthirsty.”

“Death will take (you) by surprise,” she said to Nixon. “The devil and hell have already reserved a place for you.”

Collins’ other sister, Carol Davies, largely responded to online posts about the case, only diverging to call Nixon a “predator.”

On Nixon’s behalf, his mother — Kimberly Schaub — responded to questions from defense attorney Nicholas Aemisegger outlining an intelligent, caring son. She said during homeschooling he was a very good student, in particular being a “voracious” reader, reading books far ahead of his level.

“He loved to study everything,” Schaub said.

She said when he was 12, Nixon decided he wanted to become a Marine, which remained a goal for several years.

“He changed when he was 16 and his friends changed,” Schaub said.

Schaub later said she tried to teach her children consequences, and believes what Nixon did was wrong, but did not call for the maximum penalty.

Lisa Dale, the mother of Nixon’s ex-girlfriend, also took the stand to plead for a mitigated sentence, calling Nixon “brilliantly smart.”

“He can hold a conversation with any adult on any topic,” Dale said. “I saw a young man with not just motivation but a passion for what he was studying.”

She said he had a calming effect on her daughter and, if she had her way, she would “love to have him over for dinner tonight.”

Nixon declined to make a statement.

Stadler sentenced Nixon to 100 years with none of it suspended on the accountability to homicide charge, 25 years on the robbery charge, 15 years on the burglary charge and 10 years on the tampering with evidence charge, all to be served concurrently. He also ordered Nixon to pay $1,110 in restitution, a $400 fine and a $750 public defender fee.

With the sentence, Nixon will at the soonest be eligible for parole when he is 45 years old.

“That’s a better chance than you gave Mr. Collins,” Stadler said, ending his statements with “good luck.”

Along with Nixon and Lake, three others were arrested in relation to the murder. Cody Naldrett was sentenced to 18 months in the Flathead County Detention Center and eight years of probation for helping hide the body, Joshua Fritz received a suspended sentence for tampering with evidence and Karrolyn Robinson — Lake’s girlfriend — was sentenced to eight years in the Montana Women’s Prison for deleting text messages from phones considered to be evidence in the case.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.