Arnett bound over on murder, assault, weapon charges

Caleb Arnett will stand trial in Hamilton County District Court for the murder of his step-father and the wounding of his mother and step-brother. That was the decision entered Friday by Hamilton County Court Judge Lynelle D. Homolka. The 31-year-old Aurora man is charged with first degree murder and four other charges in connection with the stabbing death of Ross Nickolaus in Aurora on Dec. 2, 2023. 
Following a contested preliminary hearing in county court on Feb. 24 in which County Attorney Douglas Dexter entered the amended charges and requested that Arnett be bound over to district court for trial, the judge took the matter under advisement and issued an order of bindover on March 6. 
The charges against Arnett include: first degree murder of Nickolaus, first degree assault of Teresa Arnett Nickolaus (the defendant’s mother), first degree assault of T.N., and two charges of use of a deadly weapon to commit those crimes of first degree assault. 
In the order Homolka stated: “The Court specifically finds based on the evidence, particularly Exhibit 24, 29 and 42, that probable cause does exist to believe Caleb Arnett purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice, killed Ross Nickolaus, and that the ultimate question of premeditation for the offense of First Degree Murder is a question for the jury to decide.” 
The judge also agreed with prosecution that probable cause exists for the assault and weapons charges as well. 
Arnett’s arraignment in District Court has been set for April 2 at 9 a.m. Bond, which was initially set at 10 percent of $2 million, was continued and the defendant was ordered to remain in the custody of Lincoln Regional Center, where he has resided for the past two years, until further order of the District Court.