Friends Held in Slaying of Student

Weeks after announcing that the murder of Redlands college student Kelly Bullwinkle may be drug-related, police on Thursday dismissed that theory and announced the arrest of two close friends who allegedly killed Bullwinkle over a “personal dispute.”

Kinzie Gene Noordman and Damien Matthew Guerrero, who were high school classmates of Bullwinkle’s, were charged with murdering the 18-year-old after luring her to an orange grove on the outskirts of the city. Both could face the death penalty.

“They were friends, allegedly, though I hate to use that term,” said Redlands Police Chief James R. Bueermann.

“It’s tragic that they chose to settle a dispute in a brutal way.... They lured her to the canyon, and obviously to her death.”

Police refused to disclose the alleged motive, although they said the dispute did not involve drugs or money. One friend said Bullwinkle, who attended Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, had been romantically involved with Guerrero and that the relationship may have ended shortly before she disappeared.

On Sept. 13, police say, Guerrero, 19, and Noordman, 20, shot Bullwinkle in San Timoteo Canyon, then buried her in a shallow grave. Afterward, police said, they drove her 1992 blue Mazda Protege to Ontario Mills mall and abandoned it in the parking lot. Bullwinkle was reported missing two days later.

While police were investigating Bullwinkle’s disappearance, Noordman went out of her way to offer the police help in finding her “best friend.”

After Bullwinkle’s body was discovered Oct. 4, Noordman attended her funeral and, with other friends, painted a monument to Bullwinkle that was placed near the spot where her body was found. The whole time, she was misleading police, Bueermann said.

“I have never worked a case where one of the people actually helping police, or purporting to help police, is in fact the killer,” Bueermann said.

About a month ago, the murder investigation was sidetracked when a Redlands car thief allegedly bragged to his cousin -- Bullwinkle’s co-worker -- that he shot Bullwinkle, Bueermann said.

The statement, which drew strong police attention, was a lie and a foolish attempt at bravado, he said.

“It’s just the epitome of stupidity, but it’s not a crime,” Bueermann said.

Three weeks ago, police learned that Guerrero had the same type of handgun that was used to kill Bullwinkle, and they began reexamining the victim’s circle of friends.

Investigators said they have evidence that Guerrero’s gun was the murder weapon, but the gun has not been found and police declined to release details about the evidence.

The focus on Guerrero and Noordman grew, and in the past week police placed the pair under round-the-clock surveillance.

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Times staff writer Kristina Sauerwein contributed to this report.