Newport Beach, CA – A 34-year-old man has been found guilty of killing his parents and their housekeeper. Camden Burton Nicholson was convicted on Wednesday of three counts of first-degree murder in the Orange County Superior Court.
The jury also found him guilty of special circumstances for committing multiple murders. The crimes occurred in February 2019 after his parents demanded he seek treatment for his mental health and substance abuse issues.
Prosecutors revealed that after the murders, Nicholson stole his parents’ car and made a series of unrelated purchases. He spent money at a marijuana dispensary and on sex toys.
During the trial, it was established that Nicholson was dependent on his parents although they threatened to cut him off if he did not seek help. On February 11, 2019, he attacked his father at their home, stabbing him repeatedly.
Nicholson then concealed his father’s body in a bathroom to prevent blood from spilling into the hallway. When his mother returned home, he killed her in the garage with a metal statue and other stabbing motions.
The following morning, he attacked housekeeper Maria Morse as she arrived to clean the residence. He inflicted multiple stab wounds and slit her throat before hiding her remains in a storage bin.
After the murders, Nicholson stole a vehicle and went to a medical facility in Irvine. There, he called 911 and informed emergency services of the killings, claiming self-defense against his parents.
Officers conducted a welfare check at the family home. They described the scene as chaotic and found the victims inside. The sanity phase of Nicholson’s trial began on Thursday to determine his mental state during the crimes.
