Information revealed in a Denver court appearance uncovered the bizarre circumstances involving a scholar of medieval literature who called police to report his wife’s brutal murder, but only after he tried to clean up the crime scene. 

Denver police arrested the Regis University associate professor of English Monday on suspicion of murdering his wife and possibly his infant daughter, according to an arrest affidavit.

Police identified Myklebust’s wife as 44-year-old Seorin Kim.

Denver District Court Judge Karen Brody held Nicholas Myklebust, 44, on a $5 million cash bond after Deputy District Attorney Anthony Santos asked for twice that amount. Santos asked for the high bond amount due to the horrific nature of the wounds found on Myklebust’s wife’s body, including a skull fracture, “bruising along her arms, head, torso, collarbone, hips and abrasions to both shoulders and multiple facial injuries.” 

Myklebust’s infant daughter was also discovered deceased but with no visible physical injuries. Autopsies on both bodies are being conducted by the Denver Medical Examiner. 

In a shocking courtroom revelation, Santos said that the baby is the second child of the professor to have died of unusual circumstances at such a young age. The other child, a 3-month-old, died of cranial injuries, Santos revealed. 

The suspect’s attorney, Becca Butler-Dines from the Colorado Public Defenders office, said that there have been no criminal charges related to the first child’s death and asked to be present at the crime scene investigation, which is ongoing at the family townhome, according to Santos.

Police found bloody gloves “in the dryer and on the dryer,” which Santos said proved that the crime scene had been altered.

What happened

Myklebust called Denver police just before 7 a.m. Monday to report that he discovered Kim on the floor of their bedroom with blood coming from her head, according to the arrest affidavit.

Myklebust told 911 dispatch that he also found “his baby” on the ground, not breathing, arrest documents indicated.

When they arrived, police and paramedics found the adult victim near a bassinet along a wall in the bedroom with multiple blunt force injuries to her head and face, the arrest record stated, and an infant female was discovered deceased on the bed with no visible injuries.

The affidavit showed that paramedics noted Kim’s injuries were not consistent with a fall and that Myklebust had scratch marks on his neck and chest. Investigators also noticed that Myklebust’s knuckles were swollen and that “the hands appeared to be used to strike something.”

Police immediately took photos of the suspect’s hands.

Video obtained by The Denver Gazette taken by a neighbor showed that Myklebust’s hands were wrapped with a white bandage while he was being treated on a stretcher outside of the apartment complex at 3247 N. Syracuse. By 7:55 a.m., Myklebust was on his way to Denver police headquarters for an interview, where he waived his Miranda rights, according to the affidavit.

Myklebust told police that only he, Kim and their daughter were home at the time of the incident.

According to his Regis class list, Myklebust is a literary scholar who specializes in 11th and 15th century poets. He has been associated with Regis University for 10 years, and was the recipient of several dissertation awards and scholarships.

Regis University spokesperson Sheryl Tirol confirmed that Myklebust “was a professor here and has been a faculty member since 2014. His official title is associate professor in the English department.” 

She added that the Regis community is distressed by the news and that: “In moments of such sorrow and confusion, we are reminded of our Jesuit values to offer compassion, and to seek justice with love.”

Myklebust is scheduled to be back in court noon Friday. Santos said that he expected formal charges to be filed by the end of the week.