Topline: He called it justice. Prosecutors call it murder. A jury will decide.
Published: July 8, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Nicholas Stanley (via Elkhart County Police)
ELKHART, IN — An Indiana man has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in the shooting death of a convicted child molester—despite openly confessing to the killing during a televised interview.
Nicholas Stanley, 35, made his initial court appearance Thursday via WebX from the Elkhart County Jail, where he remains held. The judge informed him that murder charges generally begin with no bond, though the issue could be revisited.
Stanley has 20 days to appoint a public defender and is scheduled for a jury trial on October 6, with a pretrial conference set for July 31 and a status hearing on September 11, according to ABC57.
Despite the not guilty plea, Stanley had already admitted to the crime during a recorded jailhouse interview with ABC57 News, stating unequivocally, “I did what I had to. I took him out.”
He added, “I don’t feel like I did anything wrong,” and blamed a justice system he believes failed his family.
“Now I’m going to get more time putting this piece of trash out than he ever got for hurting my family and the ones that I love,” he said.
The deceased, 35-year-old Allen Cogswell had recently been released from prison after serving nearly seven years of a 12-year sentence for molesting a young female relative of Stanley. Prosecutors say Stanley waited approximately two weeks after Cogswell’s release before confronting him on June 23 at the Daylite Inn in Elkhart.
According to WVPE, Stanley knocked on the motel room door and shot Cogswell when he answered.
Though Stanley initially denied involvement when police first arrested him, his story changed dramatically during the jailhouse interview.
“I’ve been obsessed with him for the past couple of years,” he told ABC57. “As soon as he got out, he wasn’t making it very far.” He said he had lost sleep, his job, and ultimately his grip on restraint once he found out Cogswell was free.
Jessica Stanley, Nicholas’s sister, said the family was initially stunned by the shooting but, in retrospect, remembered her brother making chilling remarks during Cogswell’s 2012 sentencing: “Somewhere along the lines of, ‘When you come back, I’m going to know where you eat, sleep and breathe.’” She called it an emotional statement made in the heat of the moment, but said it now haunts her.
She also pointed to a Facebook post from January where her brother wrote, “If you hurt kids, I hurt you. End of story.” Speaking to WVPE, Jessica acknowledged their family’s history with childhood sexual abuse and said Nicholas has long harbored deep resentment toward pedophiles. She organized a protest outside the courthouse Wednesday, calling for stiffer sentencing laws for child molesters.
Meanwhile, questions arose in court about a GoFundMe campaign intended to help Stanley with legal expenses. Prosecutors Ashley Fair and Don Pitzer flagged the issue, prompting the judge to express surprise, stating that the $13,000 raised was “not even close to sufficient” for a defense in a capital case.
Stanley, during his interview, acknowledged the heavy cost of his actions, including missing his children’s lives and facing the prospect of decades behind bars. Still, he said he has no regrets. “I hope I get out to enjoy the rest of my life with them,” he added in a message to his family.
Cogswell’s family has not yet spoken publicly, and the Elkhart County Prosecutor has declined to comment on the ongoing case, citing ethical obligations.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Man Says He ‘Did What He Had to Do’ When He Shot and Killed Man Who Molested His Niece
He called it justice. Prosecutors call it murder. A jury will decide.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 8, 2025 8:00 am ET
Nicholas Stanley (via Elkhart County Police)
ELKHART, IN — An Indiana man has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in the shooting death of a convicted child molester—despite openly confessing to the killing during a televised interview.
Nicholas Stanley, 35, made his initial court appearance Thursday via WebX from the Elkhart County Jail, where he remains held. The judge informed him that murder charges generally begin with no bond, though the issue could be revisited.
Stanley has 20 days to appoint a public defender and is scheduled for a jury trial on October 6, with a pretrial conference set for July 31 and a status hearing on September 11, according to ABC57.
Despite the not guilty plea, Stanley had already admitted to the crime during a recorded jailhouse interview with ABC57 News, stating unequivocally, “I did what I had to. I took him out.”
He added, “I don’t feel like I did anything wrong,” and blamed a justice system he believes failed his family.
“Now I’m going to get more time putting this piece of trash out than he ever got for hurting my family and the ones that I love,” he said.
The deceased, 35-year-old Allen Cogswell had recently been released from prison after serving nearly seven years of a 12-year sentence for molesting a young female relative of Stanley. Prosecutors say Stanley waited approximately two weeks after Cogswell’s release before confronting him on June 23 at the Daylite Inn in Elkhart.
According to WVPE, Stanley knocked on the motel room door and shot Cogswell when he answered.
Though Stanley initially denied involvement when police first arrested him, his story changed dramatically during the jailhouse interview.
“I’ve been obsessed with him for the past couple of years,” he told ABC57. “As soon as he got out, he wasn’t making it very far.” He said he had lost sleep, his job, and ultimately his grip on restraint once he found out Cogswell was free.
Jessica Stanley, Nicholas’s sister, said the family was initially stunned by the shooting but, in retrospect, remembered her brother making chilling remarks during Cogswell’s 2012 sentencing: “Somewhere along the lines of, ‘When you come back, I’m going to know where you eat, sleep and breathe.’” She called it an emotional statement made in the heat of the moment, but said it now haunts her.
She also pointed to a Facebook post from January where her brother wrote, “If you hurt kids, I hurt you. End of story.” Speaking to WVPE, Jessica acknowledged their family’s history with childhood sexual abuse and said Nicholas has long harbored deep resentment toward pedophiles. She organized a protest outside the courthouse Wednesday, calling for stiffer sentencing laws for child molesters.
Meanwhile, questions arose in court about a GoFundMe campaign intended to help Stanley with legal expenses. Prosecutors Ashley Fair and Don Pitzer flagged the issue, prompting the judge to express surprise, stating that the $13,000 raised was “not even close to sufficient” for a defense in a capital case.
Stanley, during his interview, acknowledged the heavy cost of his actions, including missing his children’s lives and facing the prospect of decades behind bars. Still, he said he has no regrets. “I hope I get out to enjoy the rest of my life with them,” he added in a message to his family.
Cogswell’s family has not yet spoken publicly, and the Elkhart County Prosecutor has declined to comment on the ongoing case, citing ethical obligations.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Says He ‘Did What He Had to Do’ When He Shot and Killed Man Who Molested His Niece
He called it justice. Prosecutors call it murder. A jury will decide.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 8, 2025 8:00 am ET
Nicholas Stanley (via Elkhart County Police)
ELKHART, IN — An Indiana man has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in the shooting death of a convicted child molester—despite openly confessing to the killing during a televised interview.
Nicholas Stanley, 35, made his initial court appearance Thursday via WebX from the Elkhart County Jail, where he remains held. The judge informed him that murder charges generally begin with no bond, though the issue could be revisited.
Stanley has 20 days to appoint a public defender and is scheduled for a jury trial on October 6, with a pretrial conference set for July 31 and a status hearing on September 11, according to ABC57.
Despite the not guilty plea, Stanley had already admitted to the crime during a recorded jailhouse interview with ABC57 News, stating unequivocally, “I did what I had to. I took him out.”
He added, “I don’t feel like I did anything wrong,” and blamed a justice system he believes failed his family.
“Now I’m going to get more time putting this piece of trash out than he ever got for hurting my family and the ones that I love,” he said.
The deceased, 35-year-old Allen Cogswell had recently been released from prison after serving nearly seven years of a 12-year sentence for molesting a young female relative of Stanley. Prosecutors say Stanley waited approximately two weeks after Cogswell’s release before confronting him on June 23 at the Daylite Inn in Elkhart.
According to WVPE, Stanley knocked on the motel room door and shot Cogswell when he answered.
Though Stanley initially denied involvement when police first arrested him, his story changed dramatically during the jailhouse interview.
“I’ve been obsessed with him for the past couple of years,” he told ABC57. “As soon as he got out, he wasn’t making it very far.” He said he had lost sleep, his job, and ultimately his grip on restraint once he found out Cogswell was free.
Jessica Stanley, Nicholas’s sister, said the family was initially stunned by the shooting but, in retrospect, remembered her brother making chilling remarks during Cogswell’s 2012 sentencing: “Somewhere along the lines of, ‘When you come back, I’m going to know where you eat, sleep and breathe.’” She called it an emotional statement made in the heat of the moment, but said it now haunts her.
She also pointed to a Facebook post from January where her brother wrote, “If you hurt kids, I hurt you. End of story.” Speaking to WVPE, Jessica acknowledged their family’s history with childhood sexual abuse and said Nicholas has long harbored deep resentment toward pedophiles. She organized a protest outside the courthouse Wednesday, calling for stiffer sentencing laws for child molesters.
Meanwhile, questions arose in court about a GoFundMe campaign intended to help Stanley with legal expenses. Prosecutors Ashley Fair and Don Pitzer flagged the issue, prompting the judge to express surprise, stating that the $13,000 raised was “not even close to sufficient” for a defense in a capital case.
Stanley, during his interview, acknowledged the heavy cost of his actions, including missing his children’s lives and facing the prospect of decades behind bars. Still, he said he has no regrets. “I hope I get out to enjoy the rest of my life with them,” he added in a message to his family.
Cogswell’s family has not yet spoken publicly, and the Elkhart County Prosecutor has declined to comment on the ongoing case, citing ethical obligations.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
