Hearing Rescheduled For Man Accused In Yankton Death

The Yankton Police Department received a report of a deceased person with major injury at 1001 Memory Lane Apartment A20, Yankton, and responded at approximately 3:32 p.m. Jan. 2.

Upon arriving at the apartment the officer spoke with three women, who said they had arrived at the apartment to check on their friend, Bodden. One of the women allegedly said she had received messages from Bodden about being threatened with a weapon by her boyfriend, identified as Nichols, on the afternoon of Jan. 1.

The trio said they entered the apartment and found Bodden’s decapitated body.

Based upon this information, the officer entered the apartment and observed what appeared to be a deceased, headless body, later identified as Bodden.

A search warrant was conducted on Bodden’s apartment, where a trash bag was located. Inside the trash bag was the victim’s head, court documents said.

Court records indicate that officers also found evidence at the scene, as well as video evidence, that apparently linked Nichols to the homicide.

Nichols is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and two counts of contempt of court for refusing to provide urine or blood samples to the authorities.

He is being held on a $500,000 cash only bond in the Yankton County Jail.

His next court hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 23 in Yankton.