Man accused of killing Winter Park caregiver hints at other slayings

Scott Nelson charged with murder in death of Jennifer Fulford

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A jailed man accused of kidnapping and killing a Winter Park caretaker has hinted in a new letter to a judge that he has information about nearly a dozen other homicides.

Scott Nelson is facing charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and robbery in connection with the death of Jennifer Lynn Fulford, 56, who was found dead in an area off Apopka-Vineland Road.

In the five-page letter to Judge Keith White, Nelson wrote that he "lost 40 pounds of weight" and has requested a high-calorie diet, claiming other inmates are well-fed. In exchange, Nelson promised to give a full confession in connection with other bank robberies and as many as eight unsolved slayings.

"I've never been caught for this," Nelson wrote.

Nelson went on to say that, during his whole life, he has "been abused."

"I've got no money, no family, no friends and the government wants me dead," Nelson wrote. "I suffer from mental illness."

[RELATED: Man accused of killing caregiver found competent for trial]

Nelson also wrote about his defense team and his trial.

"I wish to seek that their (sic) be no retaliation by my defense team against me for my wish to receive a fast and speedy trial," Nelson wrote. "My defense team is coming up with too many excuses. I am open to solutions, and not excuses. I have been more than cooperative and 100 (percent) honest and informative."

Nelson wrote that he wishes to be present at his pretrial conference on May 29, testify on his own behalf at trial, speak on his own behalf at the penalty phase and, if found guilty, ask for the courts "help to waive all my appeals before I exit the court."

Fulford was reported missing on Sept. 27 after she didn't pick up her boss's son from school, according to an affidavit. Fulford's boss found her purse on the bathroom floor at his home, but her debit card, cellphone, ID and other personal items were missing, the report said.

Surveillance footage from a Wells Fargo bank in Winter Park showed Nelson using Fulford's debit card to withdraw $300 from an ATM. He used the card again, at another Wells Fargo bank, in Jacksonville on Sept. 29, according to the affidavit.

Nelson was arrested at a Jacksonville motel, officials said.

The defendant was back in court Friday for a hearing as his lawyers argued to the Orange County judge that the death penalty is not constitutional and should not be considered in Nelson's case.


The judge denied motion’s filed by Nelson’s attorneys trying to get the death penalty thrown out and to limit victim impact statements.

Nelson addresses the judge during the hearing, speaking about his treatment at the jail.

“I can't live under these conditions, " he said to the judge. "They have given me food that can fit in one hand."

Nelson claims in the April letter that he's lost 40 pounds in since his arrest  and that he wants to receive a "high calorie diet.”

“I am starving to death here while others are well fed," Nelson wrote.

The judge told Nelson he could not take up his complaint without a motion from his attorneys.


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