Pueblo murder case raises questions on the state’s parole system

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — New data uncovered by 13 Investigates raises issues about the effectiveness of Colorado’s parole program. 

In recently launched law enforcement data, an accused murderer from Pueblo claims that he understood a parole violation would not preserve him in jail. 

In accordance to court docket data, Nicholas Tumblin had been arrested on September 13, 2021, for a parole violation. Whilst in jail, Tumblin was questioned about the murder of Raymond “Terry” Ray Jr., whose body had been uncovered in rural Pueblo County in August 2021.

At that time, Tumblin told detectives he was, “not in any hassle as he is only getting held on a parole violation.”

According to arrest files, Tumblin additional that his girlfriend only had a warrant out for a theft charge that “isn’t really shit.”

Tumblin was eventually produced on bail on September 24, 2021. Days afterwards on September 27, Tumblin turned the suspect in a double shooting that still left Eric Trujillo dead and practically killed Adam Niederstadt.

He was afterwards arrested on Oct 6, 2021, in Raton, New Mexico by the U.S. Marshals Company for the 1st Diploma Murder and Tried 2nd Diploma Murder.

On June 10, 2022, Tumblin was served with a Homicide Warrant for the 2021 murder of Raymond “Terry” Ray Jr.

When being questioned by detectives about Ray’s death, Tumblin stated he, “is not in any difficulty as he is only remaining held on a parole violation.” Tumblin instructed detectives this when he was getting questioned for the murder of Raymond Ray in September 2021.

All a few crimes, the murders of Ray and Trujillo and the attempted murder of Niederstadt ended up fully commited when Tumblin was on parole.

At the time of the crimes, Tumblin was meant to be paroled to Greeley but was absconding, which means his parole officer could not find him. Throughout the September conversation with detectives, he said: “he understood he would be transported to Weld County and get out in 4 days.”

13 Investigates uncovered that Tumblin had 22 felony prices in four Colorado counties. The fees are for crimes which include aggravated assault, motor automobile theft, and a slew of drug distribution and possession offenses among the other folks. The arrests have been in El Paso, Fremont, Crowley, and Pueblo counties.

Tumblin has seven felony convictions, earning him two six-year sentences and a person 8-yr sentence in El Paso County. For the duration of the interview on September 13, he advised deceives that he grew up in jail.

13 Investigates reached out to the Section of Corrections on why Tumblin was only held for 11 days on a parole violation and was subsequently unveiled. A DOC spokesperson said:

“Mr. Tumblin was initially paroled to Greeley. When he unsuccessful to report to his parole officer, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Our parole officers and the Pueblo Police arrested Mr. Tumblin on September 13th. At that time, he was questioned by the Pueblo Law enforcement, but they did not demand him with any legal prices. Supplied that failure to report is a complex parole violation, parolees can be continued on parole and the Section operates with the parolee to try and get them again into compliance. As element of his parole program, Mr. Tumblin was reassigned to the Pueblo Parole Workplace prior to his release from county jail.  Parole officers work with parolees to support them with treatment method possibilities, housing, employment, transportation and other resources to support them keep compliant with their parole specifications.”

– Office of Correction Spokesperson

Tumblin repeatedly informed detectives that he wasn’t cooperating with them to get out of any existing costs mainly because he felt his parole violation and his girlfriend’s theft charge would not maintain them in jail, and they would be introduced in a subject of times.

Adam Niederstadt, the owner of Sancho’s Bar and Grill who virtually died after becoming shot, spoke exclusively to 13 Investigates past calendar year. At that time, he questioned why Tumblin was produced just times after currently being taken into custody for a parole violation.

“This guy will get out and then 11 times he is back out on the streets and he shoots me and kills a different person,” Niederstadt reported in 2021. “With parole, they require to tighten up their ship, for the reason that it is not what it used to be. Might as effectively not even have parole.”