Jurors hear detectives interview with Scott Nelson
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Testimony continued on Wednesday in the trial of a man, accused of murdering a Winter Park woman.
An Orlando Police detective took the stand, saying he was helping the Winter Park Police investigate the murder of the beloved house manager and nanny, Jennifer Fulford. He says shortly after Scott Nelson was arrested and charged with kidnapping, carjacking and killing Fulford, Nelson wrote him a letter from jail. The detective told the jury that Nelson asked him to come visit him in jail, he wanted to talk.
Two detectives went to the jail to talk to Nelson and recorded their conversation. Nelson started out complaining about jail food, but he didn't waste any time in confessing they say. Nelson is heard on the recording telling police that in the afternoon before the murder, he had seen Fulford -- a complete stranger -- getting out of her car with her employer's son. That's when he says he decided that she would be his target, police say.
Nelson told the detective that on the following day, sometime before noon, he saw a package being delivered to the home on Webster Street in Winter Park, where Fulford worked. Investigators say he told them he used that as a way inside the home.
"UPS delivered a package. When he drove away, I rang the doorbell. Jennifer answered. I said, said 'You know you have a package here?'... pushed the door, went and shut the door. She screamed," Nelson told detectives. "Told her to lay down on the floor, bound her with some zip ties...said 'I'm not going to hurt you or rape you, I'm here for the money.' She wasn't very helpful. It just made it a lot worse. I just wanted some food and money."
Nelson told the detectives he went upstairs looking for valuables but then switched gears. He said he asked Fulford if she had an ATM card and then demanded the pin.
"I got the brown comforter off the bed, I wrapped her in the comforter and put her in her own car...I know the difference between right and wrong. I knew what I was doing was wrong...I wanted to have the owner go to the bank and withdraw a large sum of money...I have Jennifer in the back of the vehicle I don't know what to do with her."
Nelson told the detectives that Fulford begged for her life. She offered her wedding ring for him to pawn for more money.
"I'm really afraid you're going to kill me. Please don't kill me...she said she had to pick up her grandson...I brought her there [referring to the field where Fulford's body was eventually found] and that was it. That was the end of it."
Nelson told detectives several times that he despised people in Winter Park, that they have lots of money, expensive houses, fancy cars, but no interest in helping him.
"I still have full contempt for Winter Park," Nelson said to the detectives. When they asked him how he felt after killing Fulford, his response, "Didn't' make me feel any better."
Nelson told investigators after killing Fulford, he when went to the Colonial Town Publix and washed up in their restroom before hopping a bus back to Winter Park. He also told investigators that he then went to the 7-Eleven in Winter Park and bought himself and entire pizza and ate it as he walked down Park Avenue.
"I finally had a certain level of self-respect," Nelson said, calling the pizza "blood pizza."
Authorities said Nelson did not express any remorse while confessing to detectives.
"My only regret, I hadn't killed 39 more 'SOBs' like her," Nelson said.
State prosecutors rested their case shortly after playing that audio for the jury. The defense will have an opportunity to present their case Thursday. It remains unclear if Scott Nelson will testify.
The judge did tell the jury to pack a bag for Thursday, because they will be sequestered during deliberations. Court resumes at 9 a.m.