A preliminary hearing date has been set for a Salina woman charged with the bludgeoning death of a neighbor.
Cindy Johnson, 34, is charged with murder, a first-degree felony, in the Dec. 28 death of Dean V. Nielsen, 70. She was arraigned in 6th District Court Tuesday and a preliminary hearing date was set for Feb. 5 at 9 a.m. She is being held on $500,000 bail.Authorities believe Nielsen was killed for the prescription drugs that he had been taking.
Judge David Mower appointed defense attorney Douglas Neely, Manti, to represent Johnson. Neely requested the delay of several weeks, pending the release of autopsy and police reports.
Nielsen's body was discovered after it was reported to Salina police that several items belonging to him had been found near the Sevier River. Among these was a prescription bottle with Nielsen's name on it.
"Most of his drugs were missing," said Sevier County Sheriff's Lt. Delbert Lloyd. "He was taking painkillers and was suffering from a crushed hip. He had been taking Percocet, morphine, ect."
Lloyd said Nelsen had been beaten "eight or so times with a blunt object," possibly a baseball bat. "He was beaten to death. There is no doubt about that."
The victim's body was found in a recliner at his Salina Apartment. After hearing a television blaring but not getting anyone to answer the door, officers obtained a key from a manager and entered the apartment.
Investigators concluded the slaying was probably committed by someone who knew Nielsen because there was no sign of forced entry. Lloyd said Johnson had been living in the same apartment complex for the past six months and "she frequented the victim's apartment."
Lloyd said Nielsen's wife had passed away, and he had been living alone.