A detective says he lied to David Nordstrom before his arrest because he feared Nordstrom would clam up and leave police with six unsolved murders.
"I wanted him to keep talking to me," said Detective Ed Salgado of the Tucson Police Department. Salgado investigated the Moon Smoke Shop and Firefighters' Union Hall slayings last year.
Salgado took the stand during a four-hour hearing yesterday to determine whether Nordstrom's statements can be used at his trial next month.
Nordstrom's lead attorney, Laura Udall, argued in a motion last week that police coerced him to talk with promises of cash and leniency.
But Salgado said yesterday that he simply needed to keep Nordstrom talking.
The detective admitted he misled Nordstrom by indicating he would be cleared if he showed police the murder weapons.
"He is the only link I have to the suspect or suspects in this case, and I needed more information from him," Salgado said.
Yesterday's hearing is set to continue Monday. Michael Cruikshank, Pima County Superior Court judge pro tem, then will decide whether jurors will hear Nordstrom's statements to police, which so far appear to be the key to the prosecutors' case.
Nordstrom, 27, is scheduled to stand trial next month in the May 30 Moon Smoke Shop and June 13 union hall slayings.
His brother, Scott Nordstrom, 29, also is charged with murder in the killings. His trial is set for July.
David Nordstrom admitted driving a getaway truck from the Moon Smoke Shop. A smoke shop customer, Clarence Odell III, 47, and an employee, Thomas Hardman, 26, were killed at the business, 120 W. Grant Road. A 34-year-old employee, shot in the face and arm, survived.
But the younger brother insisted he was not involved in the union hall slayings. He told police it was his brother and another man who shot to death four people that night.
Killed were bartender Carol Lynn Noel, 50, and three customers - Arthur "Taco" Bell, 54; his wife, Judy Bell, 46; and Maribeth Munn, 53. A union hall manager estimated $850 was taken.
David Nordstrom and his girlfriend contacted Salgado in December, saying they had information about the slayings, Salgado said yesterday.
The detective said David Nordstrom, who identified himself only as "John," paged him several times and asked to be placed in a witness protection program and avoid prosecution.
"He advised that he had information, he knew all and would tell all," Salgado said.
The detective said he promised David Nordstrom $5,000 to show investigators where the guns used in the slayings had been dumped.
"At that point, I felt like I was losing him. I didn't want to lose contact with him, and I wanted the gun," Salgado said.
On Jan. 16, David Nordstrom led detectives to a pond west of Tucson where he said he helped toss the guns.
Salgado then drove Nordstrom back to a westside restaurant where SWAT officers arrested him, he said.
After hours of interviews and failing a lie detector test, David Nordstrom confessed to some involvement.
