DA: East Bay woman’s boyfriend trained her to ‘take the fall’ for his crimes, even after he killed her
DUBLIN He says his girlfriend shot herself in the head while they were alone in a Fremont hotel but prosecutors contend he d done such a good job brainwashing her to take the fall for him she helped cover up her own murder On Monday a jury is set to hear these dueling theories for the first time along with evidence against -year-old Stockton resident Nolan Rian Hurd He is charged with murdering -year-old Nikha Marcella DeGuzman while they were alone together in a Fremont hotel in early but his lawyer contends that a call and other evidence will show the prosecution s scenario holds no merit Hurd s legal problems have only gotten worse since he was charged with murder in September Police believe him to be a member of a Norte o gang and say he joined three others in the stabbing of another Santa Rita Jail inmate who suffered a fractured orbital multiple stab wounds to his torso and seizures That charge filed in was only compounded by a new felony scenario filed in late June alleging that last March Hurd was caught with a homemade knife inside the jail court records show Prosecutors view DeGuzman s death as the culmination of a long history of abuse They say DeGuzman s friends noticed the telltale signs one worried that something bad would befall her when she learned Hurd was in a gang Others noticed bruises or marks on her body Another recounted a conversation with DeGuzman where she talked about getting pulled over by a California Highway Patrol officer with Hurd That s your gun right Hurd allegedly urged DeGuzman pressuring her to take responsibility when the weapon was unveiled during a search of the car Prosecutors say this was just one time Hurd got DeGuzman to take the fall for him and that it happened again after he shot her in the head Please Nikki tell them what happened a panicked Hurd can be heard saying on the call after the shooting Prosecutors say her response was either I don t know or I shot myself but that even as she lay dying from the gunshot wound he was attempting to coach her into taking the blame To Hurd s lawyer Adam Penella the call absolves Hurd of murder He described the call as clearly exonerating and signaled that the defense will be that DeGuzman died of suicide not at Hurd s hands Stay with me Stay with me baby Hurd allegedly communicated her on the call before reiterating to a dispatcher the location of the shooting Oh why d you do that Are you okay Stay with me look at me look at me Keep your eyes open Look at me Opening statements are set to begin on Monday morning in Dublin according to court records Jurors won t have to decide Hurd s guilt on the new jail charges only the alleged murder Hurd s legal troubles have been ongoing since before he was charged in DeGuzman s death In June he was sentenced to days for violating his probation in another situation With only two days left to serve a judge gave him a stern warning before pronouncing sentence Don t throw your life away Judge Thomas Nixon explained him No Hurd agreed
