Bel Air Man Convicted Of Attempted Murder In 2019 Home Invasion

BEL AIR, MD —Nathan Newell, of Bel Air, was convicted on July 19 of attempted murder in the second degree and several other charges relating to a 2019 home invasion in Bel Air, Albert J. Peisinger, Jr. the Harford County State's Attorney, announced. Sentencing will take place on Oct. 15.

In a two-day bench trial, Newell, 21, also was convicted of home invasion, first degree burglary, robbery, first degree assault, second degree assault and attempted theft of $1,500 to less than $25,000 for the 2019 incident on Still Pond Way. Harford County Sheriff's deputies said Newell had confessed to the attack of 78-year-old George Kulik in Kulik's home.

Newell, a bank teller at Freedom Federal Credit Union, had served Kulik at the bank a week before the attack, and Newell acknowledged that Kulik had withdrawn a large sum of money, which he told authorities was the basis for the attack.

According to police, on November 11, 2019, a masked Newell rang Kulik's doorbell and attacked Kulik as soon as he answered the door, knocking him to the ground and strangling him.

Kulik's stepdaughter Natalia Sodano, then 57, came rushing upstairs and jumped on Newell's back. Prosecutors said Sodano had appeared with a gun that was not loaded, but it did not stop Newell.

The attack continued through the living room, into the kitchen and back to the living room, authorities said. At some point during the struggle, Newell's mask came off. Newell eventually ran upstairs looking for money, before fleeing the house.

Harford County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to the scene, and Kulik and Sodano identified the attacker as Newell, the bank teller who had served Kulik a week earlier. Eventually, the deputies took Newell into custody.

According to a 2019 report by Patch, Kulik suffered a broken leg, a badly bruised eye socket, had two teeth loosened and developed heart trouble as a result of the attack, and he was treated at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Sodano suffered a cut on her face and was treated at the scene.

Judge Angela M. Eaves presided over last week's trial.