An Indiana man accused of murdering a convicted child molester delivered a defiant confession from jail, saying he has no regrets about taking justice into his own hands.
“I did what I had to,” 35-year-old Nicholas Stanley told ABC57 News in a raw jailhouse interview, openly admitting to the June 24 killing of Allen Cogswell — a man who served seven years for sexually abusing one of Stanley’s young relatives.
“I’m tired of pretending like I did something wrong,” Stanley said. “I don’t regret protecting my family. I don’t feel like I did anything wrong — and there are thousands of people who agree with me.”
The confrontation took place at the Daylite Inn in Elkhart, Indiana. Police say Stanley knocked on Cogswell’s motel room door early in the morning and opened fire as soon as it was answered, striking the victim in the head and chest.
In a video visitation interview, reporter Annie Kate informed Stanley that the conversation was being recorded and entirely on the record — but that didn’t stop him.
“I took him out,” he said, calmly.
Stanley told the reporter he had been consumed with rage ever since Cogswell’s release in May, revealing that he lost his job and spiraled into obsession.
“When he got out, I lost my mind,” he said. “I just was on a one-set path, man. As soon as he got out, he wasn’t making it very far.”
Unable to sleep the night before the shooting, Stanley said he grabbed his gun and went looking for the man who had haunted his family.
“I drove out to go find him. And when I found him, I did what I had to,” he said.
Now facing a minimum of 45 years behind bars if convicted, Stanley made it clear he accepts the consequences — but remains bitter.
“I’m tired of pretending I need to be scared of the system when he clearly wasn’t,” he said. “And now I’m probably going to get more time for putting this piece of trash down than he ever got for destroying someone I love.”
He added, “If the system wants to throw me away, let them. I don’t even care anymore.”
Asked if he had a message for his family, Stanley choked up briefly.
“I know I’m going to miss out on my kids — basically the rest of their whole lives,” he said. “I love you guys. Keep your heads up. Don’t worry about me. Live your life. Have the best life you possibly can.”
“That’s pretty much it.”
