Tucson man sentenced to death — again — in killing of 2

It took the jury less than three hours to decide Scott Nordstrom should die by lethal injection for shooting Thomas Hardman, 28, and Carol Lynn Noel, 50, to death.

Nordstrom smiled as the first verdict was read and wrote notes throughout the rest of the proceedings.

Hardman and Noel died two weeks apart from each other during robberies at the Moon Smoke Shop and the Tucson Firefighters Association Union Hall in the summer of 1996. Authorities believe Nordstrom shot Hardman and Noel and that Robert G. Jones Jr. killed four other victims, although both men were convicted of six counts of first-degree murder.

Both men were sentenced to death, but the U.S. Supreme Court decided in June 2002 that juries, not judges should render the sentence in capital cases. Jones’ death sentence had already been upheld, but Nordstrom was granted a new sentencing hearing, which began last week.

During closing arguments Thursday, prosecutor Rick Unklesbay used words like “senseless” and “astonishingly brutal” to describe how Hardman and Noel died.

What else but death would be the appropriate sentence for someone who could carry out executions like these, not once, but twice, Unklesbay asked.

Hardman was shot despite the fact employees of the smoke shop told their robbers to just take the money, Unklesbay said.

As for Noel, no one will ever know if she died first or if she had to live in “sheer terror” as the other victims were methodically executed, the prosecutor said.

Nordstrom and Jones left behind witnesses in the smoke shop case and it’s clear from the evidence they didn’t want to make the same mistake during the second robbery, Unklesbay said.

“This was not a gang shooting. This was not a drug shooting. These were men who wanted money and were going to do whatever it took to get it,” Unklesbay said.

The prosecutor noted Nordstrom had been released from prison just prior to the slayings.

Although defense attorneys typically present mitigating evidence to convince jurors to spare their client’s life, defense attorneys David Darby and Richard Parrish opted not to do so. They also opted not to give closing arguments.

During Nordstrom’s first trial, his attorneys presented evidence his father and stepfather abused him, he has an anti-social personality disorder and substance abuse issues.

After the hearing, Darby said they chose not to present mitigating evidence based on some of Pima County Superior Court Judge Richard Nichols’ prior rulings.

Scott Nordstrom was wrongly convicted and his brother, David Nordstrom, is the actual killer, Darby said.

Scott Nordstrom and Jones were arrested after David Nordstrom contacted police. David Nordstrom testified he was the getaway driver in each of the robberies as part of a deal that resulted in a four-year prison sentence.

Scott Nordstrom will be re-sentenced on the non-capital murder charges Sept. 28.