Digital Footprints Crack the Case: The Attempted Murder of Nicole "Nicki" Lenway

On April 20, 2022, Nicole "Nicki" Lenway, a 33-year-old forensic scientist, was shot twice—once in the arm and once in the neck—while walking into the parking lot of the FamilyWise parenting center in Minneapolis to pick up her five-year-old son. The attack, carried out in daylight and captured on surveillance video, left Lenway critically injured with a perforated lung, severe vocal-cord damage, and a bullet lodged between two ribs.

A witness, Emilie Clancy, saw a person dressed in black run up behind Lenway, shoot her at point-blank range, and flee in a black Dodge Ram truck with no visible license plate. Clancy pulled up, placed Lenway in her car, and took over the 911 call while applying life-saving pressure to her wounds. Paramedics arrived minutes later and transported Lenway to the hospital, where she regained consciousness the next day.

Initial Investigation and Suspicions

At the scene, police recovered three spent shell casings and blood. Inside the FamilyWise building they encountered Lenway's ex-boyfriend, Tim Amacher, who was finishing a supervised visit with their son and initially provided what appeared to be a solid alibi. When first questioned, Amacher said he owned a Jeep and a Dodge Challenger; he did not disclose ownership of a black Dodge Ram identical to the vehicle seen on surveillance.

After regaining consciousness, Lenway told investigators she believed Amacher was somehow involved. Although Amacher was well-regarded in the community as a taekwondo instructor and neighbor, further questioning revealed inconsistencies: Amacher later acknowledged ownership of a black Dodge Ram but insisted the truck in the video differed because it normally displayed license plates and Superman decals.

Digital Forensics: Following the Electronic Trail

Investigators enlisted an FBI technology specialist to pursue digital leads. The truck's onboard Wi-Fi and nearby cellphone records created a location-aware trail. By correlating the truck's Wi-Fi connections with cellphone pings and other digital logs, investigators determined that Colleen Larson—Amacher's former taekwondo student and tenant—had driven the black Dodge Ram to the FamilyWise center on the day of the shooting.

A search of Amacher and Larson's residence produced physical evidence: shell casings that matched those recovered at the scene.

Arrests, Confession and Convictions

On April 28, 2022, Colleen Larson was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree premeditated murder. Police questioned Larson twice; she denied involvement at first but later gave a recorded statement saying, "I took the truck and I drove over there … and then I shot her." Larson told investigators that Amacher had orchestrated the plan, that she discarded the black clothing she wore that day, and that Amacher disposed of the weapon.

Authorities arrested Tim Amacher as well, charging him with attempted first-degree premeditated murder and aiding an accomplice after the fact. At trial, Amacher was convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison. Larson later pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting attempted first-degree murder and received a 16½-year prison sentence.

Aftermath

Despite her injuries and the trauma of the attack, Lenway has rebuilt her life. She married police officer Donovan Ford; the couple are expecting a daughter. Friends and family have described Lenway and her son as resilient as they recover from the incident.

This case highlights how modern investigations increasingly rely on electronic evidence—vehicle Wi-Fi logs and cellphone records can create a powerful, corroborating timeline that helps connect physical evidence to specific people and movements.