Gregory Dahl Nickell, 21, was shot to demise throughout Thanksgiving weekend in 1972. On Wednesday, on the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of his demise, the Uintah County Sheriff’s Workplace has recognized one in all two males they consider killed Nickell after which kidnapped and raped his 18-year-old date. Uintah County Sheriff’s Workplace
Gregory Dahl Nickell poses together with his mom in 1970. Nickell was shot to demise throughout Thanksgiving weekend in 1972. On Wednesday, on the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of his demise, the Uintah County Sheriff’s Workplace recognized one in all two males they consider killed Nickell after which kidnapped and raped his 18-year-old date. Household picture
Detectives have partially solved a virtually half-century-old chilly case killing of an Military veteran, the Uintah County Sheriff's Workplace introduced Wednesday.
By "in depth DNA testing," investigators say they now consider Daniel Arthur Bell, who used to reside within the Uintah Basin, was one in all two males who shot and killed 21-year-old Gregory Dahl Nickell, set his automobile on hearth together with his physique nonetheless inside, after which kidnapped Nickell's date and held her hostage for a number of hours whereas raping her.
The announcement comes just some days earlier than the fiftieth anniversary of the demise of Nickell, who was killed throughout Thanksgiving weekend in 1972.
"My first thought is, 'It is about darn time,'" Lynnette Nickell Ray, Greg Nickell's sister, informed KSL.com Wednesday when requested what her response was upon listening to the information.
There will probably be no trial for Bell, nonetheless. Throughout their investigation, detectives realized that Bell died in 2019 on the age of 88 of unknown causes.
Early on the morning of Nov. 26, 1972, Nickell — who had not too long ago come dwelling from the U.S. Military — was on a date with an 18-year-old girl. The 2 had parked their automobile at a scenic overlook when somebody knocked on the automobile window. The person claimed he had been in a crash and requested for a trip again into Vernal, in line with the sheriff's workplace. Nickell agreed to assist.
"Greg stated, 'Positive,' and began to roll the window up, then he started taking pictures," his date recalled in court docket in 1992. "On the primary shot, Greg fell within the seat, however then he sat up. The person shot once more. Greg lay again on the seat and he continued taking pictures."
Nickell was shot at the very least thrice adopted by the gunman entering into the automobile and pushing Nickell onto the lady within the passenger seat, in line with the sheriff's workplace.
"He pushed Greg over and acquired within the automobile. The very first thing he stated was he requested me if he regarded like the kind of man who might rape a 13-year-old woman," the lady recalled.
As the person was driving, he continued to level his gun on the girl. The lady stated the "set off man" regularly performed with what she described as his "cowboy-type" gun. "He loved his gun. Holding it to my head and neck. He was very busy with it." She stated he had a Texas accent and a "very filthy mouth."
As they have been driving alongside U.S. 40, a second automobile quickly pulled behind them and flashed its headlights.
"The kidnapper adopted the second automobile and the lady stated she realized he had a associate," in line with the sheriff's workplace.
When later speaking to detectives, the lady referred to the 2 males as "Tex" and "Johnny." The lady stated the suspects used a number of totally different aliases in the course of the incident. At one level, one man did name the opposite Johnny, in line with the sheriff's workplace. The identify Tex might have simply been used due to how the gunman spoke.
The lady stated the boys drove to a distant space close to Brough Reservoir in Uintah County. There, they transferred the lady into the second automobile that had been following them and Nickell's automobile was set on hearth together with his physique nonetheless inside.
The lads then put the lady into the again seat of their automobile, lined her head with a coat or blanket and drove her round for a number of hours, the sheriff's workplace stated.
"She informed investigators every man raped her as soon as earlier than they left her on the aspect of the freeway close to Duchesne, about 60 miles from the place she had been kidnapped. The lady walked to a close-by farmhouse for assist and legislation enforcement was notified."
A police officer in Rangely, Colorado, close to the Utah border, reported recognizing a automobile that evening occupied by two males and a girl that sped away from him. The motion prompted police to arrange roadblocks and a four-day search of the Guide Cliffs space, however the automobile was by no means discovered.
‘Every little thing modified’ in 2020
Greater than 30 items of proof have been despatched to the FBI Crime Lab for evaluation however nothing ever got here of it and the case went chilly, in line with the sheriff's workplace. As of Wednesday, deputies have been nonetheless not sure of a motive for the horrific crime.
Ray stated her brother had solely been dwelling for a month after serving 4 years within the Military.
"He wasn't dwelling lengthy sufficient to piss anyone off that unhealthy," she stated, considerably sarcastically, whereas including that her brother was variety and beneficiant and all people liked him.
"I used to be informed again in 1972 the rationale it was not solved is as a result of police cannot discover anyone who would have a motive. Nobody had one darn factor towards Greg," his sister stated.
In 1992, a person was arrested and charged with homicide in reference to the case. Ray says the lady even positively recognized the person via a mug shot earlier than he was charged. However when he confirmed up in court docket and "cleaned himself up," the lady might not positively determine him as the one who killed Nickell and raped her, in line with Ray. Due to that and DNA proof that didn't match, the cost was dropped a month later.
Then in January 2020, attributable to advances in forensic expertise, the Uintah County Sheriff's Workplace resubmitted proof collected in 1972 to the Utah State Crime Lab, together with DNA proof collected from the lady on the hospital after she was discovered. Ray says that is when "every little thing modified."
"Two 'unknown male' DNA profiles have been discovered and submitted to state and nationwide databases. In September 2020, sheriff's detectives have been notified that one of many two unknown DNA profiles matched Bell," in line with the sheriff's workplace.
"Did not imply a factor to me," was Ray's response when detectives informed her Bell's identify. "Did not know the identify, did not know something about him." She additionally would not consider her brother knew him.
Detectives additionally realized that Bell had died a 12 months earlier in Yakima, Washington, and his stays have been cremated. Ray says she was "extraordinarily disenchanted" when informed that Bell was deceased.
Gregory Dahl Nickell poses together with his mom in 1970. Nickell was shot to demise throughout Thanksgiving weekend in 1972. On Wednesday, on the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of his demise, the Uintah County Sheriff’s Workplace recognized one in all two males they consider killed Nickell after which kidnapped and raped his 18-year-old date.
Household picture
Detectives waited to announce their discovery publicly to provide them extra time to conduct further DNA testing in addition to to proceed to research the id of the second man.
In researching Bell, they realized he had lived in Utah's Uintah Basin on the time of the homicide and labored on a ranch within the Guide Cliffs space south of Vernal, making him conversant in the realm's again roads. Bell was later convicted of rape in Oregon in 1988, despatched to jail and paroled in 1999, at which era he moved to Washington, the sheriff's workplace stated. Due to his rape conviction, his DNA profile was submitted to a nationwide database.
DNA samples have been collected from two of Bell's grownup youngsters and have been submitted to the crime lab to be in contrast with proof collected in 1972. The take a look at discovered that their DNA was "in step with a father or mother/baby relationship" of one of many unknown males.
Investigators stated Bell's widow and relations who nonetheless reside within the Uintah Basin have been cooperating with authorities. Detectives talked to Bell's household in an effort to determine the second man, however on Wednesday famous that each one leads offered by the household had been checked out and exhausted. The sheriff's workplace stated the widow described Bell as "a really quiet man that didn't speak about his previous." She was unaware of Nickell's homicide. Investigators say they have been knowledgeable that Bell suffered from dementia on the finish of his life.
Who's the opposite man?
Though Wednesday is the primary time the breakthrough within the case has been introduced publicly, Nickell's sister has recognized for a while that the announcement was coming. In truth, she says she has by no means stopped looking for the individuals liable for her brother's demise and has been very concerned in working with legislation enforcement for the previous 5 a long time.
"I promised Greg, 'I am simply not letting this go, Brother.' I'll determine this out if it takes the remainder of my life," Ray stated.
She offers credit score to former Uintah County Sheriff Vance Norton who, after serving as sheriff, went again to work because the division's chilly case detective.
"He actually needed to unravel Greg's homicide," Ray stated.
Ray says she knew concerning the DNA match in 2020. The hope in making the announcement Wednesday, Ray stated, is that as households get collectively for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, they will speak about her brother's homicide and possibly somebody will bear in mind Bell or who he frolicked with.
"Someone was with him that evening, so who was it? That is what we're hoping to get out of this (press launch)," she stated.
Ray additionally hinted that she believes detectives have already got details about the second man that they have not publicly launched but.
"I am not going to cease wanting. I really feel superb about what we have realized up to now, what we have realized about our No. 2 suspect."
Different sufferer’s life has by no means been the identical
Uintah County Sheriff Steve Labrum on Wednesday praised the work of his detectives and everybody who contributed to partially fixing the case.
"I am grateful as nicely to the State Bureau of Investigation for the help and superior DNA testing assets they've offered by way of the nationwide Sexual Assault Equipment Initiative," he stated in an announcement Wednesday.
The sheriff added that the case is just not closed and that detectives are nonetheless working to determine the second man concerned within the crime.
"This case stays open and lively," he stated. "Our investigators proceed to develop and comply with leads within the pursuit of justice for everybody who has been impacted by this heinous crime."
The second man is believed to be youthful than Bell by a number of years. Anybody who could have recognized Bell and the individuals he related to in 1972 is inspired to contact the sheriff's workplace, in addition to anybody who could have any details about the case.
"Greg's household deserves solutions. The lady who was sexually assaulted that evening deserves solutions," Labrum stated. "For those who're the one who can assist us give them solutions, please come ahead now and discuss with our investigators.
"We're dedicated to discovering the reality, dedicated to discovering the opposite particular person liable for taking Greg from his household and eternally altering the lifetime of the lady who was with Greg that evening," he continued. "It is a tragedy that it is taken 50 years to determine one suspect. It is my hope that, with the general public's assist, we are going to determine the opposite suspect a lot, a lot sooner."
Detectives say they've been involved with the lady and informed her about figuring out Bell. They are saying that "she has been very grateful that we have been engaged on the case and appears ahead to the time after we say we have now discovered suspect No. 2 and the case is closed."
Ray says she misplaced contact with the lady a few years in the past. The final time she visited her, she stated the lady had moved out of state and had began a household, however appeared like she was wanting to maneuver on from the tragedy.
"I feel she would have favored to place his behind her," Ray stated.
She says the lady needed to change her entire life due to what occurred. She believes the lady has at all times been wanting over her shoulder as a result of the killers have been by no means caught and even prevented becoming a member of social media platforms. Ray says she has "all of the empathy on the earth" for the sufferer and what she has been via.
Anybody with details about the 1972 case is requested to name the sheriff's workplace at 435-781-6700 or e-mail coldcase@uintah.utah.gov.