Nutter Murder Suspect IDs Another as Shooter

One of three defendants in the Colin Nutter murder case has identified another as the shooter.

Benjamin Schenk, Michael Coffee and Philip Vatamaniuc - all of either Highland Park or Highwood - set out to rob Nutter, 20, of Highland Park on June 3, 2013 of marijuana and his car. Nutter was found shot to death in a ditch near an Edens Expressway ramp the following morning.

Schenk, who has already pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for his role in the crime in exchange for testimony against Coffee and Vatamaniuc, identified in court Vatamaniuc as the one who shot Nutter in his car, according to the Highland Park News.

Either Schenk or Coffee told Vatamaniuc he would need to do it in order to get credit for a Chicago street gang he was attempting to join, according to a preview of Schenk’s testimony.

Schenk tells the story of the trio stealing the Nutter’s family car, going back to retrieve the victim’s wallet and then crashing the car in the city of Chicago. Evidence of the murder was found in Schenk’s backyard the following day, leading to his arrest.

Coffee and Vatamaniuc will stand trial in their first-degree murder cases later this year.

READ MORE: Trial Dates Postponed for 3 Charged with Colin Nutter's Murder

Schenk will serve 20-60 years for the offense. A charge that he fired the gun used in the Nutter murder the night before to scare another potential drug theft victim was not filed by the prosecution in return for the plea and testimony.

Nutter's father, Michael Nutter, of Highland Park, supports the plea deal.

"My family's position is that we want to have the heaviest sentence possible. ... We want them all convicted," he said. "The murder of my son Colin was totally unjustified. He was such a good kid, with many, many friends."

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