The Cass County State's Attorney this afternoon filed charges of murder, robbery, burglary and theft against Michael Nakvinda, who's being held in an Oklahoma City jail. He's accused in the October 26 death of Fargo dentist Dr. Philip Gattuso. The murder charge is punishable by up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Nakvinda appeared in Oklahoma County District Court this morning to say he would not fight a return to North Dakota. Cass County deputies will pick him up and return him to Fargo most likely within 10 days.
The 41-year-old Nakvinda is charged in the death of Philip Gattuso of Fargo, a former Oklahoma resident. Court documents suggest Nakvinda killed Gattuso with a hammer while trying to steal the victim's car and elecronic equipment.
Gattuso's Porsche convertible was found today at a storage facility in
Oklahoma City. The car was tracked after witnesses saw it being
pulled on a trailer near Gattuso's home hours before his body was
found in his Fargo condominium on the night of October 26.
Authorities said the 49-year-old Gattuso died of a head injury.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
