In the quiet expanse of northwestern Arizona, a routine traffic stop on a Sunday in Kingman took a tragic and violent turn, ending the life of 50-year-old Kelly Susanne Nickolson. On that day, the pickup truck in which she was a passenger was pulled over by a state trooper. The driver was identified as 57-year-old Kyle Don Axtell of Kingman.
During the stop, the trooper discovered that both Axtell and Nickolson were sought on felony drug warrants out of Colorado.
As the trooper moved to return to the vehicle, the situation escalated with shocking speed. Axtell produced a handgun and fatally shot Nickolson before the officer could intervene.
In the moments that followed, the trooper drew his own weapon and fired in an attempt to neutralize the threat. Simultaneously, Axtell turned the gun on himself, taking his own life. The trooper was unharmed in the incident. The investigation into the murder-suicide concluded that Axtell was the sole person responsible for Nickolson's death. Investigators were working to determine Nickolson's place of residence at the time of her death.
