Redlands Woman Convicted of Murdering 18-Year-Old Friend

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Redlands woman convicted of murdering 18-year-old friend

March 9, 2005

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (A) - A woman who claimed the killing of her friend was a botched practical joke was found guilty of first-degree murder today in San Bernardino.

Twenty-one-year-old Kinzie Noordman of Redlands faces 45 years to life in prison when she is sentenced May 13th. The Superior Court jury deadlocked on a special circumstance allegation that the murder was committed while lying in wait.

Jurors also convicted Noordman of a firearm violation after about two weeks of deliberation.

Noordman was one of two people charged with first-degree murder in the September 2003 death of Kelly Bullwinkle, who was shot to death in September 2003.

Yesterday, a mistrial was declared in the case of 20-year-old Damien Guerrero of Highland after a separate jury deadlocked eleven-to-one in favor of conviction.

Four panelists wept in the jury box as the verdict was announced.

About two and one-half weeks after she disappeared, Bullwinkle’s decomposed body was found in a shallow grave in San Timoteo Canyon. She had been shot twice in the back of the head.