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March 18, 2008
Posted: 11:16 AM ET

NEW YORK – One of the most interesting things about the Shawna Nelson case, now airing on In Session, is how the people who were once closest to the defendant are distancing themselves from her.

ALT TEXT

Shawna Nelson stood trial for killing her lover’s wife.

Nelson, a former police dispatcher, was tried for the execution-style slaying of her lover’s wife. The trial took place last month in Fort Collins, Colorado, and you’ll see highlights all week, with the verdict on Friday.

Ignacio Garraus, her lover and the father of her youngest child; Ken Nelson, her estranged husband; and Michelle Moore, her former best friend; all took the stand.

Each one of them made it a point to never look directly at the defendant. They didn’t even look in her direction from the moment they walked into the courtroom until the moment they stepped down from the witness stand.

In contrast, Shawna Nelson stared intently at each of the prosecution’s witnesses.

Once Ken Nelson and Michelle Moore finished their testimony, they left the courtroom, never to return.

Ignacio Garraus, on the other hand, returned to court at the end of the trial to listen to the closing arguments from each side. But once again, Garraus never looked directly at the woman with whom he had a three-year extramarital affair – who was now his wife’s accused killer.

Michael Christian, In Session senior field producer

Filed under: Trials


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elizabeth koffer   March 18th, 2008 12:48 pm ET

Is he worth it…..really

Jodi Gilles   March 18th, 2008 12:55 pm ET

Why are the shoes that we’re found NOT tested for her DNA…? You can always test the shoes for skin cells, and That would be solid evidence.

Rebecca   March 18th, 2008 1:12 pm ET

As I woman, I don’t feel any different towards women who commit murder. They all chose the crime. However, in this case, Ignacio Garraus comes across as such a pompous, uncaring bum, I would say his callous disregard for both his wife and Shawna Nelson
contributed to his wife’s demise when Shawna Nelson finally snapped after he broke off their 3-year relationship, especially when he appears to have turned his back on his child born from the affair. You mess with a woman, and that’s one thing. You mess with her child, and you’ll have a tiger on your hands.

Kim Richoux   March 18th, 2008 1:42 pm ET

I will say it again and again as I watch this coverage she “GUILTY AS SIN ” she wanted Heather out of the way… There is no perfect crime. She thought if Heather was out of the way she could be with Ig.

She is not insane she is very much Sane she knew what she was doing. I don’t buy that story I left my purse and went back to get it.

She should get the death penalty, like she took Heathers life but only she would get the juice.

Brenda   March 18th, 2008 1:55 pm ET

Based on what I’ve seen today (1st day off for spring break), Shawna Nelson is guilty. She felt like a woman scorned even though she was already married. It is almost as if she was creating a score card of men, and she would never let any of them go. I feel sorry for her husband. He seems the victim here. I know that Mrs. Garraus was the ultimate victim, but Ken Nelson doesn’t deserve what is happening to him, either. I believe that Shawna will be convicted. An earlier question was if we are more sympathetic to female murderers than to male. I don’t think so. I think it is pretty equal and based on the facts presented. I think there are times with both parties get acquited when they shouldn’t and maybe even convicted when innocent.

Amy   March 18th, 2008 2:06 pm ET

Have I missed it or has this defendant not even asked who has been shot?

Mary Ann   March 18th, 2008 2:13 pm ET

Why wasn’t Heather having sex with Ig? Are we sure Heather was going to stay with Ig? Could Ig have pushed Shawna to the brink?because Heather was going to leave him.Ig doesn’t seem upset to me. I think Ig lied on the stand when he said he didn’t know to go to the credit union, he started to say he had information, then he stopped,why?.Will Ig have to pay child support? Heather was so beautiful I don’t know why she stayed with Ig.

Linda   March 18th, 2008 2:16 pm ET

Boy is Shawna good at lying, let’s face it, she has been doing just that for the past three years. Her hand motions during the interrogation look pretty convincing to me that she has something to hide or is lying.

Who in their right mind would leave three children under the age of 6 to go to the liquor store and not even tell them she was leaving?

This person is guilty of more than just murder.

nancy   March 18th, 2008 2:25 pm ET

I think the most important clue to this was, while the Detective was questioning Mrs. Nelson, she NEVER asked who was murdered. I think she is very, very guilty of this horrible murder.

Revinax   March 18th, 2008 3:14 pm ET

I don’t think I could ever be drunk enough to sleep with that woman. Yikes!

John Fyfe   March 18th, 2008 4:41 pm ET

I have been watching her body language, and it is telling me (please feel for me and my family). Did you ever see her when she leans to her right talking to her attorney? She has a habit of glancing towards the jury, but not staring directly at them. She has this slight stare that looks as if she is feeling out the jury, when the prosecution is questioning the wittnesses. (Maybe it is just me). I have been told during my life that body language speaks volumes. She made up her mind when she left that house that evening, that her rival was going to die. It was a planned murder (NOT A FRAME UP) Let justice prevail for the family of Heather for she can no longer speak to you!!!!!

Kendall   March 21st, 2008 2:35 pm ET

GUILTY, GUILTY

Francis   March 21st, 2008 5:26 pm ET

Wow! What a trial. But. no evidence. No one can “identify” a person in a cloak and mask. No one can tell without knowing if it is a man or woman running. No gun. No blood. Husband has the gun all day that is used in the crime. Friend Michelle tries to make Shawna think she cut the brakeline to Heather’s car. Who would “fake” an attempted murder (i.e. tampering with brake lines)? Take another look at the husband and the “best friend”. Don’t forget, three days before the killing, husband received a letter from Heather’s lawyer saying she was going for custody of his adopted child. If Heather died, Shawna would go to prison, Ig didn’t want the child, and the husband would have no more worries about losing his child. Michelle was too pat bringing up everything the prosecution used her for in their trial. Somethng stinks, or more aptly everything stinks including the department’s unethical and unprofessional handling of prosecuting and investigating their own buddies. Yuck.

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Sidebar takes you behind the scenes of the day's legal headlines with breaking news and in-depth analysis from In Session's anchors and correspondents.

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Ashleigh Banfield
Co-anchor of the daily trial program Banfield and Ford: Courtside
Ashleigh Banfield
Jack Ford
A former prosecutor and co-anchor of the daily trial program Banfield & Ford: Courtside
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Anchor of the daily trial program Lisa Bloom: Open Court
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Jami Floyd
Former defense attorney and anchor of her own daily program Jami Floyd: Best Defense
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Fred Graham
Senior Editor Fred Graham covers legal news in Washington, D.C.
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Jean Casarez
Attorney Jean Casarez covers trials around the country
Jean Casarez
Beth Karas
Former prosecutor Beth Karas covers trials around the country
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