Boyfriend charged after death of Pueblo woman
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- A man in Pueblo is facing murder charges after police say he fatally assaulted his girlfriend.
Police say the assault happened on Jan. 27, when officers responded to the 2200 block of Norwich Avenue for a possibly deceased female. Upon arrival, officers located a woman bleeding and bruised throughout her body, according to court documents.
The victim, 33-year-old Nicole Stephenson, was treated for weeks at local hospitals but passed away Wednesday evening from her injuries.
The Pueblo Police Department charged 36-year-old Nathan Turner with attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault.
Sgt. Frank Ortega says the suspect had a history of domestic violence incidents involving Stephenson.
“There’s been several felony charges -- assaults, kidnapping, false imprisonment -- against Nathan Turner involving this victim,” he said.
But with each arrest, Turner was bonded out.
Ortega says police can only find probable cause and arrest a suspect, but the bond setting is determined by the judge.
“That’s all kind of outside of what we do, Ortega said.
Stephenson's death comes on the same week that another suspect was arrested for a domestic violence-related homicide in Pueblo.
Gabrielle Skubal, a close friend of Stephenson, says she is devastated and frustrated about how the incident occurred.
Skubal says Turner's parents were able to keep bonding him out for previous cases. The arrest affidavit shows Turner worked for his father's business "Calvin Turner Roofing" in Pueblo.
“Someone was able to post 200,000 dollars and get him out," she said regarding Turner's arrest prior to the murder. "I don’t feel like that’s a good price on her life. She was irreplaceable. She shouldn’t have a 200,000 dollar price tag. No one should.”
The family of Turner has not returned KRDO's request for comment.
Skubal says her best friend leaves two children behind.
“At the current moment I’m feeling numb," Skubal said. "Nicole was my best friend for 20 years. I am the godmother of her children. I considered her my sister.”
Gina Corsentino, another friend of the victim, says Stephenson's life was taken too soon.
"Her smile would light up any room that she was in," Corsentino said. "She always made me feel loved. I am going to miss her so very much."
Pueblo police say this is the fourth homicide investigation of the year. Ortega says all of those cases have domestic violence ties.
"Each shift that comes one you’re going to deal with one or more domestic violence calls," Ortega said. "But it’s something that isn’t normal. It isn’t right. We need to stop this cycle.”
Below are resources for domestic violence victims:
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1800 799-7233 www.thehotline.org/
Violence Free Colorado 303.831.9632 / 888.778.7091 www.violencefreecolorado.org/contact-us/
YWCA of Pueblo Domestic Violence Services in Pueblo, CO Hotline 719-545-8195 (24⁄7)
Toll Free Business 719-542-6904 www.domesticshelters.org/help/co/pueblo
