Pair charged with murder and identity theft
The fate behind a body that was found in the Angeles National Forest became clearer with the recent arrests of two suspects by LASD deputies. 21-year-old Erik Thomas Pearson and 26-year-old Donald Thurman, both residents of Burbank, were charged with the January 7th murder of 25-year-old Nicholas Carter during their February 13th arraignment at the Los Angeles Superior Court in Pasadena.
The victim, Nicholas Carter's Facebook photo was updated just days before he was reported missing
On January 8th, the LASD was contacted when a hiker discovered a trail of blood along Big Tujunga Canyon Road. While human remains weren’t immediately recovered, search teams eventually found Carter’s body several hundred yards away on January 19th.
Upon identifying Carter’s body, the LASD learned that Carter had been the subject of a missing person’s report filed in Glendale. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office also revealed that Carter had died of blunt force trauma.
In a later press release from the LASD, authorities allege that Pearson and Thurman beat Carter to death, buried his body, and then stole his identity. Pearson and Thurman’s charges reflect those allegations: both are charged with Capital Murder and special circumstances of robbery and lying in wait.
An earlier profile photo of murder victim Nicholas Carter
As prosecutors determine whether to seek the death penalty, both Pearson and Thurman are being held without bail.
The LASD was not available for comment.
Read More:
Pasadena Patch: Two Suspects Charged With Murder Off Big Tujunga Canyon Road
LA Times: Mystery deepens over Glendale man’s body found buried in forest
