Photo: Florida Department of Corrections
Details about the murder that led to the confession of a serial killer.
By Beth El Fattal — Written on May 12, 2019
Watching a case develop is always a fascinating pastime. Seeing details develop and new facts surface that lead to new suspicions and suspects and ultimately lead everyone to have their own ideas about whodoneit and about how it was accomplished. This is especially true in murder cases as justice must be served and everyone is hoping to find some closure in the case. However, the case of Nicholas Gibson has been one especially full of constant twists, turns and new developments. Here's what you need to know about the case and the man who is digging himself further and further into the hole. Who is Nicholas Gibson?
1. From the outside, Gibson seemed like your average guy with tattoos on his face
Many have tried to find out anything they could about Nicholas Brent Gibson and turned to any kind of information they could get their hands on, including his resume found online. On it, Gibson describes his talent for being a tattoo artist along with experience as a bartender. He writes fondly about his last place of employment saying that he was looking for a similar setup, because he loved his coworkers and being a bartender. Neighbors said that while he wasn't as friendly as his roommate, he was a decent neighbor and they really never had any major problems with him. They just considered him to be more of an introvert and caretaker for Stocker.
2. Gibson was originally arrested for the murder of his 77-year-old roommate
Some people believe that Erik Stocker was employing Gibson as a caretaker, however, if that was the case, it didn't work out that way. Gibson hacked Stocker to death with a samurai sword, sometime around April 17th. Neighbors complained about a smell coming from the apartment. Landlords opened the door expecting to find rats. However, the scene they found instead was a gory one. Gibson had also stolen Stocker's wallet and all his credit cards. Neighbors say that Stocker was a sweet and friendly older gentleman who often took the time to check in with the people who lived in the complex. He did fight off arrest briefly, adding resisting arrest to the list of his charges. Gibson has since confessed to the murder.
3. When Gibson was arrested, he confessed to six other murders
Although this story has not yet been corroborated, Gibson has allegedly killed six others. This would qualify him as a serial killer. He claims that he has been racking up bodies since he was 12-years-old, and has hidden the bodies. The murders took place in Florida, California and Georgia. Police say they are working as quickly as possible to confirm his story and potentially get justice for the victims.
4. This is not the first time Gibson has served time
Gibson was convicted in 2000 for sexual assault and for rape in 2008. He has served over 16 years in custody for these crimes, and failed to register as a sex offender after 2008. He was finally arrested on May 5th after Stocker's body was discovered on April 30th. The police tracked down Gibson by following credit cards that belonged to his most recent victim, Stocker.
Beth El Fattal is an editorial intern at YourTango.