Family and friends rally at courthouse in Goshen in support of murder suspect
On June 24, Nicolas Stanley, 35, allegedly shot and killed Allen Cogswell, 35, at the Daylite Inn in Elkhart. Police were called shortly after midnight with reports of a shooting.
According to police reports, a witness told investigators a man with a long gun, later identified as Stanley, looked in the window of a room and knocked on the door. When Cogswell opened the door, the armed man began shooting, the report reads. Stanley was taken into custody later that day without incident.
It was soon revealed that Cogswell was a convicted sex offender who was recently released from prison after serving six and a half years of a 12-year sentence for child molestation. The victim was a relative of Stanley's.
On Wednesday afternoon, Stanley's sister, Jessica Stanley, led a rally on the sidewalk adjacent to the Elkhart County Courthouse in Goshen. She was hoping to draw as many as 100 supporters, although about half that number was present 30 minutes after it began at noon. Many of those in attendance held handmade signs while others wore shirts bearing a anti-pedophilia logo and the hashtag '#freenic.'
Although many drivers honked their horns in obvious support of the demonstrators, a few also hurled derogatory insults toward them as they passed by. Both types of actions were met with in-kind reactions from those gathered on the sidewalk.
'My brother is a very good dad, obviously; he cares about both of his children,' said Jessica Stanley. 'Had Allen Cogswell not been released so soon, I don't think we'd be here in this position. It's been really difficult for our family, but we stand behind Nic 100%. We just need better reform and stricter laws when it comes to sentencing of child sex abusers.'
Stanley said the abuse of the child took place over an eight-month span during 2017. Cogswell was caught and arrested in January 2018 and sentenced that April. According to Stanley, Cogswell was a distant relative of the victim, which was how he gained access to the child.
'We are advocating for my brother,' Stanley said. 'We are hopeful for a minimal sentence. We're hoping for 10 years at most, but we understand that it could be upwards of 65 years. We've got hope that the prosecuting attorney and the jury will see that, due to the circumstances of the case.'
She has had the opportunity to speak with her brother, who is being held without bail at the Elkhart County Jail. He has seen both of his children. She said her brother has received a lot of support from the community including Bikers Against Predators whose president attended the rally. Supporters have even made financial contributions to his commissary account. She said he knows he has received numerous messages of encouragement, as well.
'Right now he's remaining hopeful,' she said. 'He's pretty cheerful despite the circumstances. He's remaining positive that this will get down to the lowest possible sentencing time. My brother needs to be here with his children instead of being in jail.'
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