2nd Oklahoman arrested in death of North Dakota dentist
By Aaron Crespo - Staff Writer
Published: November 3, 2009
An Oklahoma City man was arrested Monday night on a conspiracy to commit murder complaint in connection with the slaying of a North Dakota dentist, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman said.
Gene Kirkpatrick He was arrested Monday in the killing of a North Dakota dentist.
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Jessica Brown of the OSBI said
Gene Kirkpatrick, the slain man’s father-in-law, paid a handyman $3,000 and promised more for him to go to North Dakota and kill Phillip Gattuso.
Kirkpatrick, who lives in far east Oklahoma City, was not happy with the way Gattuso was raising his 3-year-old daughter since her mother’s death in March, Brown said.
Kirkpatrick was arrested on complaints of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit burglary. Kirkpatrick was being held without bail in the
Oklahoma County jail Monday night.
Michael Allen Nakvinda, a 41-year-old Oklahoma City man who authorities have said was the Kirkpatricks’ handyman, was charged in
Cass County, N.D., with murder, robbery, burglary and theft Monday.
On the day Gattuso was killed by multiple blows to the head with a hammer, police say a truck and a trailer they believe were driven by Nakvinda arrived at a
Fargo bowling alley.
From the alley, a block south of Gattuso’s condominium, the truck’s driver was caught on video walking across a street toward a restaurant. A restaurant video showed a person crossing the parking lot toward a spot where there’s a view of Gattuso’s garage and front door.
Gattuso took his daughter to day care at 8:30 a.m., then missed a teleconference he’d set for 10:30 a.m.
At some point in those two hours, police say they think Gattuso came home and was beaten in the head with a hammer by Nakvinda, who has a violent criminal past.
Authorities believe Nakvinda stole Gattuso’s 1999 Porsche
Boxster convertible and an assortment of consumer electronics.
An arrest warrant issued about 4:50 a.m. Saturday for Nakvinda details when and where the suspect was seen before and after the killing and was included in court records with the charges filed against him.
Using witnesses, security video, photo lineups and the help of
Oklahoma police, Fargo police sketched a timeline of Oct. 26, the day Gattuso was found dead.
It stretches from early morning to about 2 p.m., when security video at a rest stop 21/2 miles south of the North Dakota-South Dakota state line captures a man driving a trailer that was rented to Nakvinda entering the rest stop with an empty black garbage bag and a change of clothing. A red stain was on the left thigh of the man’s pants.
Nakvinda was arrested Saturday morning in Oklahoma City, where he made a court appearance Monday and waived his right to extradition proceedings. Authorities here now have 10 days to bring him back, which
Fargo Police Chief Keith Ternes said would be done by the Cass County Sheriff’s Department.
Contributing:
DAVE ROEPKE, Fargo, N.D., Forum
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