15STABBING

GARRISON
3/15/11

Intro:
An 18-year-old appeared in Ketchikan District Court today (Tuesday) on second-
degree murder charges in Saturday’s stabbing death of 45-year-old Nick
Stachelrodt. Devin Rossiter stands accused of stabbing Stachelrodt outside the
victim’s home in the Vallenar View Trailer Park at around 7:30 Saturday night.
Deanna Garrison has this report.

Tape:
According to charging documents, Rossiter approached the victim’s father outside
the Stachelrodt trailer and asked for a cigarette. Jon Stachelrodt told troopers that
he said “no” and went inside the trailer. He said Rossiter then knocked on the back
door of the trailer. He reported that he opened the door and realized it was the same
person who approached him in his driveway. Stachelrodt told troopers he again
said “no.”
Jon Stachelrodt said his son, Nick Stachelrodt, was home and reportedly saw
Rossiter getting into their car parked in the driveway.
He told his father that he was going to see what the person was doing, according to
the elder Stachelrodt.
Jon Stachelrodt reported that he then observed his son fighting with the individual
on the family’s porch.
Shortly thereafter, Nick Stachelrodt told his father that he had been stabbed and
asked him to call 9-1-1, according to court documents.
Troopers say Rossiter fled the scene.
Stachelrodt was dead by the time troopers arrived.
Two other Vallenar View neighbors reported being approached by a young man
asking for a cigarette on the night in question.
Neighbor Sarah Herring stated that a male who told her his name was Devin had
approached her trailer.
She and neighbor Tandy Worrell identified Rossiter in a photo lineup.
Troopers contacted Rossiter on Monday morning. At that time, troopers report that
Rossiter had an injury on his nose, what appeared to be blood on his sweatshirt and
was carrying a knife.
During an interview with troopers, Rossiter recounted being approached by Nick
Stachelrodt. He told troopers that Stachelrodt had grabbed his shoulder and was
pulling him toward the trailer when he pulled the knife out of his right pocket and
stabbed Stachelrodt two or three times, according to court documents.
Rossiter reportedly told troopers that he did not go to the trailer with the intention
of killing anyone and said he had just wanted a cigarette.
Troopers say Rossiter said he hadn’t found out that Stachelrodt had died until the
next morning.
Rossiter was arrested Monday night. He appeared before Judge Kevin Miller in
Ketchikan District Court Tuesday.
Citing the serious nature of the crime and the state’s “fairly strong case,” Judge
Miller set bail at $50,000. If convicted of second-degree murder, Rossiter faces
between 10 and 99 years in prison.