DENVER — A Regis University English professor accused of murdering his wife, who was found dead in their home along with their infant daughter in July 2024, has pleaded not guilty.
Nicholas Myklebust, 46, was charged with first-degree murder and tamping with physical evidence. He pleaded not guilty on Thursday morning.
He is next expected in court on Feb. 5. They will set a date for the trial then.
The case began on July 29, 2024, when Myklebust called 911 just before 7 a.m. and reported that he had found his wife, Seorin Kim, 44, bleeding on the ground and their infant daughter, Lesley Kim, not breathing. Authorities responded to the home, located along the 3200 block of N. Syracuse, and found a woman with blunt force injuries on her head and face, according to a probable cause statement.
Kim was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her cause of death was ruled as blunt force injuries and her manner of death was listed as a homicide by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner. Paramedics who responded to the scene determined that Kim's injuries were not consistent with a fall "but they were not sure what caused them," court documents stated. Our news partners at The Denver Post reported in March that prosecutors said she had been severely beaten over a period of time and had a fractured skull, broken ribs and facial bones and a brain bleed.
The child was found on a bed in a bedroom. She was pronounced dead and did not have any visible injuries, according to the probable cause statement. The cause and manner of her death has not yet been determined.
Detectives noticed that Myklebust's knuckles appeared to have bruising, according to court documents.
Myklebust was taken to Denver police headquarters for questioning. During an interview, Myklebust told authorities that "the baby had been more fussy than usual and the couple had been depressed since experiencing a personal loss in 2021," according to The Denver Post. That loss was the death of the couple's first child in 2021. The newborn had a severe skull fracture and died when he was just 9 days old, according to The Denver Post. No charges were filed in the 2021 case.
Myklebust was arrested on July 30, 2024 and formally charged with one count of first-degree murder in connection with Kim's death and one count of tampering with physical evidence. His bond was set at $5 million.
His not guilty plea on Thursday means the parties are now preparing for a jury trial.
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