Suspect in fatal weekend shooting appears in court

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Story Published: Jun 1, 2009 at 6:41 PM PDT

By Tim Novotny

COQUILLE, ORE - As autopsy results confirm that a Charleston man died of a single gunshot wound to the chest, his half-brother appears in a Coquille courtroom on Monday to face charges.

Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier says 52 year old Kevin Bret Nelson suffered a fatal wound to the heart when he was shot on Saturday afternoon near his Charleston residence.

59 year old Nickolas Crooks, who occupied a motor home near that residence, was arraigned for Nelson's murder.

Security was set at 1.5-Million dollars and a public defender is being assigned to the case.

If convicted of the murder charge Crooks could face 25 years to life in prison.

The investigation is still underway and the Coos County Major Crimes Team is still working the case. The bullet that caused the fatal injury has been retrieved and will be sent to the Oregon State Police Crime Lab to be tested. The small caliber handgun that is believed to be the murder weapon was recovered during a search of the motor home on Saturday.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call the Coos County Sheriff's Office.

Frasier expects the case could go to the Grand Jury by the end of the week.

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