MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
a division of the
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Troop F Headquarters - 2920 North Shamrock Road - Jefferson City, MO 65102
NEWS RELEASE
For further information please contact:
Sergeant Scott White
(573) 751-1000
F190902
September 16, 2019
EMPHASIS:
Patrol To Recognize Mrs. Julie Nordman And The Late Mr. Randy Nordman
Captain Corey J. Schoeneberg, commanding officer of Troop F, Jefferson City, announces that the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s highest honor for a nonemployee, the Honorary Trooper Certificate, will be awarded to Mrs. Julie Nordman, and posthumously, to Mr. Randy Nordman. The Honorary Trooper Award is presented to a non-employee who performs in an exemplary manner, and under dangerous conditions, to aid another, or who unselfishly assists a member in the performance of their duties. The presentation will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2019, at the Montgomery County Ambulance District Building, 603 Stoddard Memorial Drive, New Florence, Missouri.
The awards are a result of the 2016 murder investigation, manhunt, and capture of Pablo Serrano-Vitorino. Details of this incident have been withheld until now to allow for proper disposition of the criminal proceedings associated to the case. However, on April 9, 2019, Pablo Serrano-Vitorino was found deceased in his jail cell while awaiting those proceedings. Thus, the details of the March 2016 incident are included below:
Late Monday night, March 7, 2016, four men were shot and killed in Kansas City, Kansas. Mike Capps, 41; Jeremy Waters, 36; Clint Harter, 27; and Austin Harter, 29. The fugitive fled across Interstate 70 until his vehicle became disabled in Montgomery County, Missouri.
Armed with a rifle, Serrano-Vitorino abandoned his vehicle on the shoulder before daybreak, and walked to the home of Randy and Julie Nordman. The fugitive approached Randy Nordman on his property and a confrontation ensued. Although the fugitive was armed with the rifle used to previously kill four people, Randy fought for possession of the rifle to protect his family, and ultimately the community. The suspect, at some point, was able to shoot Randy during the struggle, fatally wounding him. This was his fifth homicide within 12 hours. Meanwhile, Randy’s wife, Julie, called “911” to report the attack. As Serrano-Vitorino ran from the residence, he was under the watchful eye of Julie, who remained on the phone with emergency services and reporting her observations under extreme duress.
Law enforcement converged upon the area, establishing a perimeter in the area based upon the information provided by Julie Nordman. The suspect was successful in eluding law enforcement for approximately 17 hours.
It was determined Randy Nordman’s brave battle had resulted in the suspect losing his rifle’s magazine, leaving him only one round of ammunition, which was used to murder Randy Nordman. Had Randy not fought tenaciously against the suspect, there is no question the suspect would have continued his murderous rampage with a functioning and loaded rifle. Julie Nordman’s observations proved essential, as she aided law enforcement in establishing the perimeter to pressure and confine the suspect.
“Julie and Randy Nordman were thrust into this horrendous moment, not by career choice, training, nor desire; yet their response was heroic, in keeping with the highest of standards of law enforcement across the United States, particularly, the Missouri State Highway Patrol,” said Captain Schoeneberg. “On that day, evidence laid bare the character of Randy and Julie Nordman. Through their actions, including Randy’s heroic confrontation and battle with a murderer, there is little doubt more violent confrontations were adverted and lives were saved.”
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