Cattle Fraud Charges Added To Diemel Murders
A Missouri man facing capital murder charges in the deaths of two Wisconsin brothers is now also facing federal cattle fraud charges.
The Department of Justice announced this week that a federal grand jury in Kansas City, MO, returned one count of mail fraud against Garland Joseph Nelson in connection to the 2019 murder of Wisconsin brothers Nicholas and Justin Diemel.
Nelson has been held since July 2019 without bail, and trial for double murder is set for June 2022 in Johnson County, MO. The case was moved from Caldwell County to Warrensburg, MO, due to pretrial publicity.
Garland Nelson
A DOJ news release about the mail fraud charges alleges Nelson entered into a business relationship with the Diemel brothers to care for cattle. While Nelson cared for some of the Diemels' cattle, he is alleged to have sold, traded or killed some cattle without paying the Diemels any of the proceeds, and continued to bill the Diemels for care of the cattle.
When the Diemels became suspicious of the scheme, they stopped sending cattle to Nelson and demanded payment. Nelson eventually sent the Diemels a check for nearly $216,000, but the check was tied to a bank account with just .21 cents.
Court documents allege that, as Nicholas Diemel became frustrated with Nelson’s lack of payment, he and his brother traveled to Missouri to retrieve the money. It was during that trip in July 2019 where Nelson allegedly killed the brothers and attempted to dispose of their bodies.
Nelson faces a possible death penalty if convicted of the murder charges.
Related stories:
Wisconsin Brothers’ Family Sues For Wrongful Death In Missouri
Diemel Remains Possibly Found In Nebraska Stock Trailer, Sheriff Says
