Murder suspect accused of witness tampering
Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jul 23, 2010 by JOHN C ENSSLIN
An El Paso County grand jury has indicted murder suspect Bruce Nozolino on a second set of charges accusing him of witness tampering.
The five-count indictment handed up Thursday accuses Nozolino, a 49-year-old Colorado Springs anti-tax activist, with trying to persuade five witnesses, including his mother and brother, not to cooperate with investigators.
Nozolino was advised of the new charges this afternoon during a brief video advisement from the El Paso County jail without an attorney present.
“What’s this in connection to?” he asked El Paso County Judge Marla Prudek.
“I can’t answer any questions about the specific charges,” Prudek said, adding that she was just there to inform Nozolino of the charges and potential penalties. If convicted on the tampering charges, he would face between two and six years in prison.
He is also facing a 31-count indictment charging him with first- degree murder and attempted murder.
That indictment accuses Nozolino of killing a man who prosecutors say had an affair with his wife, wounding a divorce lawyer who represented the ex-wife and shooting into the home of the judge who presided over the divorce case.
He is also accused of trying to kill the families of the judge and the lawyer by shooting at their homes. In all, he is charged with four shootings between 2001 to 2008.
Prudek told Nozolino the new charges carry a bond of $500,000.
“I’m currently under a ‘no bond’ on other charges,” he said.
Yes, Prudek replied. She knew. She told him court appearance on the new charges will be before Chief Judge Kirk Samelson on July 28.
The new indictment accuses Nozolino of tampering with witnesses Wade Feller, Albert Shrecengost, Brad Collins plus Nozolino’s mother Ethel Hoffmeier and his brother Brian Nozolino. Specifically, he is charged with:
– Sending a document to Feller and asking him to hand it out in his workplace. He told investigators that Nozolino wanted to be informed if Feller was approached by authorities. If that happened, he instructed Feller to use the code words “I want to buy calendars.”
– Giving a similar document to Shrecengost, who told investigators he shredded it after reading the first line. Shrecengost said he knew Nozolino wanted him to “obstruct justice.”
– Telling Collins to keep his mouth shut if questioned by authorities. Collins told investigators Nozolino also wanted him to use a code word if that happened.
– Sending an e-mail to his mother after learning that investigators were back East interviewing his family. “Nozolino wrote that cooperation is not recommended with the cops,” prosecutors wrote.
– Sending an e-mail to his brother while the grand jury was in session. “I recommend not talking to them
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