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Who is Nikko Jenkins?
Nikko is known for his involvement in a series of brutal murders in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2013; he killed four people in a span of ten days. Jenkins’ criminal acts and subsequent trial garnered significant media attention.
What Happened to Niko Jenkins?
Jenkins was sentenced to death for his crimes in 2017 and is currently incarcerated at Nebraska State Penitentiary.
Nikko Jenkins Wiki: Age, Childhood, and Education
Nicholas Allen Jenkins was born on 16 September 1986 in Colorado USA, the son of David A. Magee and Lori Jenkins. He had a troubled life from an early age – he was put into foster care at eight years old after experiencing several traumatizing events at home. Nikko’s troubles continued into teenage life, as he became involved in violence and gangs.
He was expelled from school in 7th grade – it was discovered that he took a gun with him to school, which resulted in immediate removal; prior to this, he was involved in fights, and other misdemeanors while at school.
He spent time at the Youth and Rehabilitation Treatment Center – Kearney during which time he continued with his life of crime. He was frequently running away from the center, leading to unfinished juvenile probation.
By 17, he faced adult convictions for carjackings at gunpoint on two occasions. On 17 November 2003, he was convicted of robbery and weapon use, beginning a 10-year sentence in juvenile detention before transferring to an adult prison. His time in the juvenile facility was marked by 13 misconduct reports, including two for violent offenses, one involving a 2005 riot in which he injured fellow inmates while evading officers.
Previous Crimes and Incarcerations
In February 2007, Nikko Jenkins got into two gang fights, leading to his confinement in restrictive housing until December 2008; he claimed to hear voices of gods. In September 2008, he suspected gang-related paranoia, but wasn’t diagnosed with a major mental disorder. In November 2008, he was diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder, but refused prescribed medication.
Jenkins consistently talked about wanting to harm others, and in May 2009, he mentioned hearing the voice of the Egyptian god Apophis, leading to various diagnoses. He took prescribed medications from September to October 2009, but later refused them. In December 2009, he attempted to escape and attributed his actions to the voices. In 2010, he was diagnosed with several mental disorders by Dr. Eugene Oliveto, and therapist Denise Gaines described his thought process as delusional. Upon returning to NDCS in 2011, Jenkins spent two years in restrictive housing, repeatedly requesting mental health treatment and expressing violent ideation. In the month before his release in 2013, Jenkins didn’t mention harming others or hearing Apophis. On 2 July 2013, it was noted that he had “no current mental health issues or concerns”. However, Jenkins’ girlfriend and mother sought his commitment under mental health concerns.
Murders
Nikko Jenkins continued his life of crime just days after being released from prison for his previous crimes. His first murder occurred on 11 August 2013, when he targeted Juan Uribe-Pena and Jorge C. Cajiga-Ruiz; they were found near a city swimming pool at 18th and F Street, Spring Lake Park, both shot in the head with their pockets turned inside out. Nikko Jenkins had no previous personal connection to these victims.
Just eight days later, on 19 August 2013, Jenkins committed his next murder – Curtis Bradford, whom he had known from a previous stint in prison, was found dead outside a detached garage at 18th and Clark Street. Bradford had been shot in the back, and Jenkins had seen him just a day before.
Jenkins didn’t stop there; on 21 August 2013, he killed Andrea Kruger. She was found on the road at 168th and Fort Street, shot multiple times while returning home from work. Jenkins also stole her car after the murder. Like his other victims, Andrea Kruger had no personal connection to Nikko Jenkins.
Incarceration, Trial, and Sentencing
Shortly after his killing spree, Nikko Jenkins found himself facing the consequences of his actions. On 30 August 2013, just days after the murders, he was apprehended and arrested, albeit on an unrelated charge related to terrorist threats. However, it was during this time that investigators began building a case against him. The evidence was mounting, with surveillance footage capturing a female associate purchasing the distinctive ammunition, the Brenneke Classic Magnum 12-gauge, commonly referred to as “deer slugs”, which had been used in the killings.
To bolster their case further, investigators obtained additional footage from various cameras positioned along the route to Andrea Kruger’s abandoned SUV, connecting the dots that lead to their suspect. Then, on the evening of 3 September 2013, in a lengthy and detailed eight-hour interview, Nikko Jenkins confessed to committing all four murders.
Jenkins’ confession revealed a disturbing motive behind the brutal acts. He claimed that these murders were sacrifices, and offerings to Apophis, an ancient deity in the Egyptian religion. As a result of his confession and the substantial evidence gathered against him, Nikko Jenkins was officially charged with four counts of murder.
In November 2013, Nikko Jenkins expressed his desire to plead guilty to all four slayings, claiming that he wanted to protect Apophis’ kingdom.
On 19 February 2014, he took legal action by filing a lawsuit against Nebraska, seeking $24.5 million. His claim revolved around allegations of wrongful release and the authorities ignoring his reports of hearing voices from Apophis. Jenkins attributed the worsening of his schizophrenia to his time in solitary confinement.
Despite his claims of mental illnesses, a psychiatric evaluation suggested that he had antisocial personality disorder, and might have been faking psychotic symptoms.
Deemed competent to stand trial, Jenkins opted to represent himself in court with advisory attorneys. Throughout the trial, he maintained that he followed Apophis’ commands.
On 16 April 2014, Judge Peter Bataillon found Nikko Jenkins guilty of all four murders. However, the sentencing, initially set for 11 August 2014, was indefinitely delayed to assess Jenkins’ understanding of the death penalty proceedings.
Subsequently, on 29 July 2014, Jenkins was ordered to be admitted to the Lincoln Regional Center psychiatric hospital. However, the center refused him due to security concerns, leading to his treatment in a Lincoln prison.
In May 2017, Jenkins was handed a death sentence by a three-judge panel. Additionally, he received a 450-year sentence for weapons charges connected to the murders.
Finally, on April 20, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court opted not to hear his appeal, marking the end of the legal proceedings surrounding Nikko Jenkins’ crimes.
Net Worth
According to sources, Nikko Jenkins’s net worth is estimated at $200,000 as of mid-2023.
Personal Life, Dating, Girlfriend, Single
While incarcerated at the Tecumseh State Prison in 2010, he married Chalonda Jenkins. The two were out soon after that, but their marriage lasted only four weeks outside of prison as they both soon returned to jail; since then, they’ve divorced.
Nikko became the center of media attention when a Texas woman, Dawn Arguello started seeing him as a part of his weekly visitation hours. A romance developed between them and despite his crimes, Dawn saw him differently than others. He even got a tattoo of Dawn’s name across his face.
Since then the two have often hinted at marriage and according to Dawn’s Instagram, the two are still close, but there are no further reports on their relationship.
