Cook pleads guilty in bed & breakfast killing spree

PARIS, Maine (AP) -- A former cook pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing four people during a four-day rampage in southern Maine's ski country last year.

The plea from Christian Nielsen, 32, came a day before jury selection was to begin in his trial. He faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced October 18.

Nielsen admitted killing James Whitehurst, 50, of Batesville, Arkansas, on September 1, 2006. Whitehurst was a handyman who had been staying at the Black Bear Bed & Breakfast in Newry, a resort town in southwestern Maine.

Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson said in court Tuesday the only motive Nielsen ever gave for killing Whitehurst was that he was "objectionable."

Over the next three days Nielsen killed the lodge's owner, Julie Bullard, 65, her daughter, Selby Bullard, 30, and her daughter's friend, Cindy Beatson, 43, to cover up the killing of Whitehurst, Benson said.

Nielson has never fully explained to anyone why he committed the killings. He said he had discussed his motive with his attorneys but "We never came up with anything concrete."

Psychologists testified at a compentency hearing for Nielsen last month that he suffers from schizoid personality disorder and possibly other mental health problems including Asperger's Syndrome, often described as a mild form of autism.

He stopped eating while in prison and lost a lot of weight, but has since resumed eating and regained 12 pounds.

Nielsen's guilty plea is conditional in that it can be withdrawn if the courts decide later that he is not competent to stand trial and that his confession is not admissible. E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.