Former Executive Sentenced for Murder Attempt

A former General Dynamics executive convicted of trying to murder a Ramona man has been sentenced to 11 years and eight months in state prison.

The term given to Nicholas Schulz, 36, by San Diego Superior Court Judge Lisa Guy-Schall is eight months more than Schulz received when he originally pleaded no contest in the case four years ago.

The victim, John Kiracofe, 49, was shot and wounded in the stomach Oct. 29, 1985, in his home after Schulz pretended to be a deliveryman with a package. Kiracofe once was married to Janice Vuich, also of Ramona, who had also dated Schulz.

Schulz pleaded no contest in 1986 to attempted murder and received an 11-year prison term.

But he changed his mind after entering that plea and at first was unsuccessful in getting his conviction and sentence reversed.

Later, from prison, Schulz successfully appealed to the 4th District Court of Appeal, which ordered his conviction and sentence set aside on grounds his former attorney did not advise him properly.

He was convicted Feb. 2 of attempted murder and possession of a flammable explosive and a firebomb, which were found in his rented car after a deputy arrested him in Poway for speeding.

Before his arrest, Schulz was a director of marketing at General Dynamics.