The man charged in the 1972 murder of Gregory Nickell entered a Not Guilty plea in court this week. 75-year-old Darrel Eugene Choate of Tooele was taken into custody on November 26th, 2024, by Uintah County Sheriff Detectives at a Salt Lake City hospital in what had been a 50-year-old cold case. Choate was 22 years old at the time of Nickell’s murder and with recent advancements in DNA testing, Choate was identified as a suspect and brought into custody. Choate was present for his preliminary hearing before a judge in 8th District Court in May where the judge ruled that there is enough evidence to proceed with the case. This week’s arraignment was done virtually and took place in a matter of minutes, during which Choate’s attorney informed the judge of the Not Guilty plea and requested over four months for time to prepare for the next hearing. Choate remains in custody at the Uintah County Jail.
