Steven Wagner Nichols, 42, pled guilty Monday in Hood River County Circuit Court to two felonies: criminally negligent homicide and coercion — but a murder charge stacked against him was dismissed.
Judge John Wolf sentenced Nichols to a year and seven months in county jail. But Nichols will not serve time behind bars for those felonies, his attorney said.
Via the May 8 sentencing agreement, Nichols will get credit for 19 months served in custody, which essentially cancels out his sentence. He will, however, serve three years under post-custody supervision.
Nichols most recently lived in Portland on house arrest, leading up to the case’s resolution.
Prosecutors alleged Nichols was hiking with his girlfriend, Rhonda Casto, 23, of Portland, in March 2009 at Eagle Creek Trail west of Cascade Locks when he pushed her off a 100-foot cliff to her death. Casto was the mother of Nichols’ then-infant daughter.
Months before her death, Nichols had increased Casto’s life insurance policy to $1 million, prosecutors said.
Nichols has recently faced other criminal charges. Last November, Nichols pled guilty to two counts of sex abuse in the third degree.
I wonder: What loophole in Oregon law his attorney found that allowed his bad guy client to walk?
ReplyDeleteHmmm....
Seriously? Wtf? Even increased her insurance policy...time served. I'd like to know how he's going to tell his little girl that daddy killed mommy for cash..
ReplyDeleteThere has to be a reason that they thought they couldn't get a conviction. This is a low sentence,even for manslaughter.
ReplyDeleteSounds like this guy had a good lawyet or due to lack of witnesses. Certain people get special treatment by the courts.
ReplyDeleteYes the insurance is questionable but there would be no physical evidence on the trail unless there was a struggle. Without an eyewitness or confession there is no case.
ReplyDeleteWHAT? what is with these crazy judges? They must be paid off, how else do you explain Ethan Couch and this one?
ReplyDeleteThis really really makes me angry, but bottom line is they don't have a case and the jury/judge didn't feel they had enough to go on to make a conviction. The life insurance thing is suspect, but it could be explained away as a coincidence. Without physical evidence, a witness, or any damaging testimony, they probably didn't feel they had enough.
ReplyDelete*The fuck kinda justice is that?
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't he serving more time?
Can I push my annoying coworker off the roof and collect their policies, too?
West Coast.
ReplyDeleteLand of fruit,nuts ,and libtard morons.
Bout sums it up.
See my post.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a place where people live that have that normal thought process or cognitive reasoning and dissonance.
The Oregon justice system loves its violent offenders. If only we put as many of our resources into helping the victims and their families. Oregon has become known as a hug-a-thug state, where appeals courts routinely overturn convictions of murderers based on technicalities. I used to be proud to say I'm from Oregon. Now I'm just ashamed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I considered moving to Oregon for the climate and generally lovely vistas. Too many stories coming out of Oregon lately that are not flattering to the state of the state.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the negatives now outweigh the positives. Our state legislators are downright hostile towards victims. But they jump anytime inmates request money for state-funded programs. I'm planning to move out of state as soon as I can find another job.
ReplyDelete