A criminal motion hearing is scheduled for a Braymer man who faces 10 felony charges from last July, among them for the deaths of two brothers from Wisconsin. Online court information shows Garland Joseph Nelson’s case is set for June 22nd in Division Two of Caldwell County Circuit Court for a hearing on a motion for a change of venue.
A defense attorney previously filed a motion to request a new judge and to move the case out of Caldwell County. The Missouri Supreme Court assigned Eighth Circuit Court Presiding Judge Kevin Walden to the case.
The Associated Press previously quoted an attorney for Nelson saying the State of Missouri expects to seek the death penalty for Nelson, who pleaded not guilty in May.
Nelson has been charged with two counts each of first degree murder, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence in a prosecution, and armed criminal action. He has also been charged with one count each of first degree tampering with a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Nick and Justin Diemel were reported missing in July after traveling to Caldwell County to collect on a reported cattle debt of $250,000 from Nelson. A probable cause statement accuses Nelson of shooting the brothers, putting their bodies in 55-gallon barrels, and burning their bodies.
Nelson reportedly told investigators he dumped the remains on a manure pile and hid the barrels on his property. The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office reported the remains were found in Missouri and Nebraska.
