Dateline NBC: Who Killed Nick Morelos?

Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.

Dateline NBC will re-examine the brutal murder of former marine Nick Morelos that took place in July 2016. The episode “Stone-Cold” will reveal startling details about the crime and feature detailed interviews with people affected by the gruesome crime. Additionally, it would shed light on how investigators solved the case and caught James Lapan for the slaying. Dateline NBC will air the episode on Friday, August 23, at 10 p.m. ET.

According to Newsweek, Nick Morelos’ fiancée discovered the dead body of the former marine inside his residence in Tucson, Arizona. She found Morelos’ body after becoming concerned that the victim didn’t wish her good morning via text message, so she went to his home to check on him and discovered his lifeless body. Per Oxygen, Morelos’ body was covered with bullet holes. When authorities arrived at the scene, investigators noted that the unknown assailant shot Morelos eight times, and one of the bullets hit the middle of the forehead.

However, officials found some crucial evidence at the crime scene that helped them in catching the killer. Oxygen reported that the investigators found blood in several areas of Nick Morelos’ house, including his closet, broken window glass, and the stucco on the outside of his home. They also discovered that a large portion of Morelos’ rug was missing. After extensive investigation, police apprehended a man named James Lapan. on July 22, 2016, and took him into custody. KOLD News 13 reported that authorities charged him with first-degree murder.

Who killed Nick Morelos & why?

As mentioned above, authorities arrested James Lapan for the killing of Nick Morelos and charged him with first-degree murder. Meanwhile, a conversation between the victim’s brother and the HR of Morelos’ workplace gave authorities an important breakthrough.

Oxygen stated that Morelos and Lapan had a strained relationship at work. Lapan talked to HR and raised concerns about Morelos’ attitude. According to HR, Lapan threatened him to handle the situation, or else he had his ways of doing that. Moreover, Lapan was dating one of Morelos’ ex-girlfriends. During the initial round of interrogation, he told the investigators that he was home when Morelos was killed. His wife confirmed that Lapan was sleeping in the house at the time of the killing.

However, the investigators received a tip from one of James Lapan’s friends, which prompted them to obtain a search warrant. They searched Lapan’s house and found two spent shell casings that matched with the casings found inside Nick Morelos’ residence. Additionally, investigators discovered pants that allegedly had blood stains on them. Authorities also searched Lapan’s vehicle and found the carpet fiber that was similar to the rug taken from Morelos’ house. Police then arrested Lapan for the murder and took him to trial, per Oxygen.

During the trial, prosecutors noted that the investigators found Nick Morelos “naked” and “helpless” in his bedroom and “riddled” with bullets, reported KVOA News. Moreover, the prosecution team laid out how James Lapan murdered Morelos. They noted, “James Lapan snuck into Nick’s backyard, he climbed up onto the roof of Nick’s porch. He ambushed Nick in his bedroom. This is planning folks, planning to go over and kill Nick.” The prosecution also talked about the DNA evidence found at the crime scene and how investigators found Lapan’s blood inside Morelos’ bedroom.

On the other hand, the defense claimed that there is ample doubt on how James Lapan’s DNA reached Nick Morelos’ house. After hearing several arguments, the jury started deliberations and came forward with a guilty verdict. Per KGUN 9, the court sentenced him to life in prison. He also received an additional 10.5 years on the charges of burglary.

Dateline NBC will explore the case in its latest episode on Friday, August 23, at 10 p.m. ET.

Aayush Sharma

Entertainment Journalist by profession and a complete cinephile, Aayush Sharma has been writing about Hollywood movies, US TV shows, True Crime and more from the last 7 years. Previously, he has worked for reputed media outlets such as ANI, International Business Times, and MEA Worldwide.