Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Guess I’m a Maniac’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Signs Of A Psychopath’ chronicles the tragic killing of a mother of three named Nicole Scott in Florida in December 2011. The lack of evidence kept the case unsolved for several years, despite the best efforts of the detectives. More than a decade later, the police got a surprising break that led to the apprehension of the perpetrator. All the intricate details of the case and the investigation that ensued are explored in the documentary, which also features insightful interviews with Nicole’s loved ones and the officials who worked on the case.
Nicole Scott Was Found Dead in a Wooded Area by a Passerby
Born in November 1982 in Atlanta, Georgia, to Lonnie Nance, Nicole Rose “Nikki” Scott and her brother, Lonnie Scott, were raised in volatile environments as their father had gone to prison by 1983, and their mother wasn’t around. Thus, the two siblings spent their formative years going from one foster home to another. According to Lonnie Scott, Nicole was allegedly sexually and physically abused in foster homes. Given the troublesome childhood, she got into trouble with law enforcement multiple times — trying to cash stolen checks in 2003, stealing cash from a waitress in 2008, and serving as a sex worker in 2009. By then, she had become a mother to three children — two sons, Clayton and Stefano, and a daughter named Madison.
Over the years, she tried her best to battle addiction by checking into rehabilitation centers. According to reports, 29-year-old Nicole was working at a BP gas station in Sarasota when she allegedly told a friend she had bought a new house on Potter Street around November 2011. A couple of weeks later, the nine-month-pregnant woman vanished into thin air, raising concerns among her loved ones, including her children. On December 11, when the Sarasota police officers entered her unlocked home in the 5400 block of Potter Street, they noticed the TV was on. During the search, they collected several clues and pieces of evidence for DNA analysis, such as cigarette butts, water bottles, a glass pipe, a motel room key, and more.
That same morning, a motorcyclist called 911 after discovering Nicole’s partially clothed remains in a ditch east of the intersection of University Parkway and Bourneside Boulevard in the Lakewood Ranch area. As the investigators inspected the site and her remains, they determined that she died of strangulation about 48 hours prior to being found. Besides noticing visible trauma on her face, the detectives also found a folding knife, her purse, and other belongings near the remains. Without any delay, a homicide investigation was launched to get to the bottom of the case.
Nicole Scott’s Killer Confessed After Finding Religion a Decade Later
As part of the investigation, the detectives delved deep into the life of Nicole Scott and the circumstances surrounding her sudden demise. One of the possible suspects was Benjamin Wade Moulton, who was brought in for questioning. During the investigation, the police learned that Nicole had accused Benjamin of trying to kill her. However, in his interview, he denied having anything to do with her homicide. Due to a lack of evidence, the detectives had no choice but to let him go. Soon, the case went cold and gathered dust for more than a decade until a shocking confession cracked it wide open.
On September 29, 2021, Benjamin Moulton visited a Florida police station and told officers he had a confession to make. He admitted to killing Nicole Scott in 2011 and disposing of her remains in the remote wooded area where they were found. Benjamin provided a detailed account of his crime, claiming that he killed her in a fit of rage. The killer told the detectives that he had found Jehovah, and the guilt of the murder was consuming him, which was why he made the confession. Consequently, he was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. His previous run-ins with the law in Sarasota County included multiple misdemeanors such as marijuana possession, DUI, and resisting an officer, convictions for felony assault, and probation violations.
Benjamin Moulton is Currently Incarcerated at a Florida Prison
More than a year after his confession, in October 2022, Benjamin Moulton was convicted of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Nicole Scott, a mother of three who was nine months pregnant at the time. In the end, he was reportedly sentenced to 40 years in prison. As of today, the 48-year-old killer is at Martin Correctional Institution in Martin County, Florida, with his release date scheduled for March 2041.
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