Josh Mankiewicz

You know, prosecutors are not supposed to bring murder cases unless they're very certain that they're going to get a conviction. You're not just allowed to try somebody because like, hey, maybe we'll get lucky and the jury will go along with us. Like the prosecutors don't do that. They tend to not go into the courtroom unless the deck is significantly stacked in their favor.

You know, prosecutors are not supposed to bring murder cases unless they're very certain that they're going to get a conviction. You're not just allowed to try somebody because like, hey, maybe we'll get lucky and the jury will go along with us. Like the prosecutors don't do that. They tend to not go into the courtroom unless the deck is significantly stacked in their favor.

And that clearly was not the case this time. There was not an overwhelming case against Nicole.

And that clearly was not the case this time. There was not an overwhelming case against Nicole.

Yeah. And you've got to believe that what Nicole is so sophisticated that she could leave the victim's DNA on the knife, but wipe hers off. She doesn't she doesn't really strike me as that kind of killer.

Yeah. And you've got to believe that what Nicole is so sophisticated that she could leave the victim's DNA on the knife, but wipe hers off. She doesn't she doesn't really strike me as that kind of killer.

So the motive is what? They weren't getting along as roommates, so she decided to kill her?

So the motive is what? They weren't getting along as roommates, so she decided to kill her?

You know, I've covered cases in which people who live in the same house, one of them ended up killing the other. And I will say that, I mean, look, every case is a little bit different. I'm not seeing the level of tension between the two roommates that gets you to murder. And also, like, and then what? And then you don't have that roommate anymore? I mean, there's no financial gain here.

You know, I've covered cases in which people who live in the same house, one of them ended up killing the other. And I will say that, I mean, look, every case is a little bit different. I'm not seeing the level of tension between the two roommates that gets you to murder. And also, like, and then what? And then you don't have that roommate anymore? I mean, there's no financial gain here.

There's no third party. They're not supposedly fighting over some boyfriend or girlfriend. Right. You know, nobody got custody of the home afterwards. I mean, it's... It feels thin kind of from the get-go.

There's no third party. They're not supposedly fighting over some boyfriend or girlfriend. Right. You know, nobody got custody of the home afterwards. I mean, it's... It feels thin kind of from the get-go.

And if that's what it is, if it's second degree, heat of passion... Then where's her DNA on the knife? One of the things that came up in my last story, which was the widow of Woodland Hills, was something very common in stabbing homicides, which is that when you stab somebody else, you frequently get cut. There wasn't any of that in this one. There weren't two sets of blood on the knife.

And if that's what it is, if it's second degree, heat of passion... Then where's her DNA on the knife? One of the things that came up in my last story, which was the widow of Woodland Hills, was something very common in stabbing homicides, which is that when you stab somebody else, you frequently get cut. There wasn't any of that in this one. There weren't two sets of blood on the knife.

Two stab wounds also kind of fights the, you know, frenzy, anger, I've had it with you theory. But, you know.

Two stab wounds also kind of fights the, you know, frenzy, anger, I've had it with you theory. But, you know.

You had a lot of access to the cops who investigated the case, who I thought were quite good. Tell me a little bit more about the ride along with David Goodman, who was the detective on this.

You had a lot of access to the cops who investigated the case, who I thought were quite good. Tell me a little bit more about the ride along with David Goodman, who was the detective on this.

You know, in a lot of jurisdictions, bigger ones, you know, I mean, there are 15-year-old cold cases here in Los Angeles, where I am right now. But since... the 15-year-old cold case, and now there have been hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of other murders. Some, a lot of them unsolved. You don't really have that in Minot. You don't have this huge backlog of open cases.

You know, in a lot of jurisdictions, bigger ones, you know, I mean, there are 15-year-old cold cases here in Los Angeles, where I am right now. But since... the 15-year-old cold case, and now there have been hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of other murders. Some, a lot of them unsolved. You don't really have that in Minot. You don't have this huge backlog of open cases.