| For Immediate Release November 2, 2006 |
Contact: | Susan Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel (714) 347-8408 Office (714) 292-2718 Cell |
MARINA DEL REY MAN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING 19-YEAR-OLD CASHIER AT 99 CENT STORE
SANTA ANA – John Steadman Nilsen, 49, Marina Del Rey, was found guilty of murdering a 19-year-old woman, Shawna Wolfgram, during a robbery at a 99 Cent Store in Huntington Beach. Nilsen was convicted of murder during the commission of a robbery and 2nd degree robbery for another victim with enhancements for personal use of a firearm causing death. Based on the true finding of special circumstances allegations, he faces life without the possibility of parole and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-40, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
A jury found today that Nilsen’s nine prior convictions were true and the judge will determine at sentencing if these convictions are strikes, making Nilsen a potential third-striker.
On January 29, 2004, Nilsen entered the 99 Cent Store on Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach and attempted to enter the “Employees Only” warehouse area. He pointed a gun at the manager and demanded to be taken to the safe where the store money was kept. Nilsen then encountered another employee, Govani Fuertes, and demanded that Fuentes hand over his wallet. Nilsen forced Fuertes to lead him to the front of the store to the safe.
Once at the front, Nilsen turned the gun on Wolfgram, a 19-year-old female cashier who was in the process of a transaction with a customer, and tried to grab the cash drawer as Wolfgram was handing change to the customer. Wolfgram grabbed the barrel of the gun and pointed it away from the customer, who was with two children, and announced that the defendant was attempting a robbery. Nilsen turned to leave and then shot the victim once in the chest at close range and killed her. He fled the scene and was later linked to the crime through video surveillance and ballistics, DNA evidence at the scene, and eye-witness identification.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Sonia Balleste of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.
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