David Nickels arrested for Ephrata man's murder

Killing allegedly over girlfriend

HELENA, Mont., — David E. Nickels, 29, was arrested in Helena, Mont., for murder in the first degree for the shooting death of Sage Munro, 35, Ephrata.

On Dec. 29 a woman reported hearing a gunshot on E Street Northeast at about 7 a.m., according to a court document. The woman reportedly saw Munro run from his truck to his home. She called Munro, got no answer and called 9-1-1.

When authorities arrived, they found Munro dead on his living room floor with a gunshot wound in his upper left chest area, according to a court record.

According to the Grant County Coroner’s Office, the bullet passed through both his lungs and struck his coronary artery.

A .45 caliber casing was found in the front yard of Munro’s home. A pair of handcuffs were also located outside.

The Columbia Basin Investigation Team (CBIT) began interviewing people associated with Munro immediately. The team is comprised of detectives from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Moses Lake Police Department and Quincy Police Department.

“We put in a lot of time,” said Undersheriff John Turley.

He said the investigation led authorities through Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah with thousands of hours of investigation time invested.

Authorities learned Munro was divorced and had at least one romantic relationship.

Detectives contacted his girlfriend of six months, Marita Messick.

“She told detectives during that time period, her ex-boyfriend, (Nickels), has caused problems with her new relationship,” according to the affidavit of probable cause. “Messick said she has a child in common with Nickels. She said Messick has threatened her and has been abusive during their relationship.”

She told detectives Nickels’ harassment had progressed to the point where she had to change her phone number and she was afraid of him.

“Messick told detectives about an incident that occurred five months ago where he walked into her residence in Ephrata unannounced and took her cellphone,” according to a court document. “Messick said once Nickels had the phone, he placed a call to Sage Munro and told Munro they were still together. Messick said that on occasion, items for their baby have shown up at her house without Nickels making an appearance.”

She told detectives she believed it was Nickels leaving the items.

“Messick said when she heard about Munro’s death, the first thing that came to mind was Nickels because he would be the only person she could think of that would do something to Munro,” according to a court document.

Upon learning of his death, Messick called Nickels to see where he was and he reportedly told her he was in Great Falls, Mont.

Detectives also interviewed friends and relatives claiming they were present during phone calls when Nickels would tell Munro he and Messick were still together.

Munro told friends of the troubles between Nickels and Messick.

“(A relative) said Messick tried to keep her relationship ... secret but Nickels was able to find out and he was enraged,” according to a court document.

The relative explained she was concerned Nickels was stalking the couple because he knew significant details about the relationship.

A few days after the shooting, Messick allegedly revealed to detectives she maintained a relationship with Nickels that was not intimate. She advised the two stayed at various hotels together a couple weeks prior to Munro’s death and spoke on the phone several times a week.

“One year ago, Nickels told her that if she did not keep in contact with him, he would hurt someone that she loved,” Messick told authorities, according to police records.

She claimed Nickels makes a living stealing catalytic converters and selling them online through a Web site she helped him create, according to a court document.

“Messick said the reason she failed to tell us about these phone calls and encounters with Nickels was because she was ashamed of the relationship she kept with Nickels,” an investigator wrote in a report.

Grant County Detective Ryan Rectenwald made contact with Nickels on Jan. 12, in Helena for an interview.

During the interview, Nickels confirmed his hotel visits with Messick, Messick notifying him of Munro’s death and that she was wondering where he was.

Detectives applied for search warrants to review Nickels’ call records and found his cellphone registered at a cell tower on Second Avenue in Spokane at 8:51 a.m., on Dec. 29, indicating he was traveling eastbound on Interstate 90.

Eventually detectives discovered a witness in Montana in early February.

The witness told detectives he met Nickels in 2005 and went to parties and bars with him in the past. He told detectives on Jan. 9, he was at a bar in Montana with friends and Nickels.

“(The witness) said Nickels told him he was being investigated for murder,” according to a court document. “When Nickels said this, he appeared to be proud or satisfied because of this. He joked with Nickels about the weapon he possibly used as being a pen ... (The witness) said Nickels said it was not a pen, rather he shot the guy in the chest.”

“(The witness) said the way Nickels described the shooting, it was as if the guy never expected it and did not see it coming. (The witness) said he asked Nickels why he would do something like that and Nickels response was because the guy was dating Marita.”

In May, detectives obtained a search warrant for Nickels’ DNA.

The DNA sample taken from Nickels was determined to have matched a sample found on a pair of handcuffs found at the murder scene, according to a court document. The handcuffs were located outside.

On Tuesday detectives went to Helena to arrest Nickels on the murder warrant.

He is being held with bail set at $5 million.

Nickels was being transported to Grant County Jail Thursday, Turley said.