Nicole Linton, the traveling nurse accused of causing the catastrophic 2022 Windsor Hills crash that killed six people, has been found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder.
A Los Angeles County jury returned the verdict on Friday, October 2, 2026, after approximately three hours of deliberations following a closely watched trial centered on whether Linton knowingly drove dangerously or experienced a medical emergency before the collision.
The verdict comes more than four years after the August 4, 2022 crash at the intersection of Slauson and La Brea avenues in the Windsor Hills area of Los Angeles County.
Among those killed were 23-year-old Asherey Ryan, her 11-month-old son, her boyfriend, her unborn child, and two other women traveling through the intersection.
Jury Finds Nicole Linton Guilty
Jurors found Linton guilty on all six second-degree murder counts after beginning deliberations Friday morning.
The panel reached its decision within roughly three hours.
The case had required jurors to evaluate sharply competing explanations for what happened moments before Linton’s Mercedes-Benz entered the busy intersection at extremely high speed.
Prosecutors argued that Linton was conscious and deliberately continued accelerating despite the obvious danger to other motorists.
Her defense attorneys maintained that she suffered a seizure and was therefore not consciously controlling the vehicle when it entered the intersection.
The jury ultimately rejected the defense argument and returned guilty verdicts on the murder charges.
What Happened in the Windsor Hills Crash?
The deadly collision occurred on August 4, 2022, at the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues.
Evidence presented during the case showed that Linton’s Mercedes-Benz reached approximately 130 to 131 mph before running through a red light and colliding with vehicles crossing the intersection.
The collision triggered a massive multi-vehicle crash and fire.
Investigators documented extensive damage across the scene.
Several vehicles were destroyed, and multiple people were injured in addition to those who died.
The crash quickly became one of the most widely reported traffic disasters in Los Angeles that year.
Video footage showing the Mercedes entering the intersection at high speed became an important part of the prosecution’s case.
Who Were the Six Victims?
The people killed in the crash included members of a young family as well as two other motorists.
Asherey Ryan, 23, was more than eight months pregnant at the time.
Her 11-month-old son, Alonzo Quintero, was also killed.
Ryan’s boyfriend, Reynold Lester, died in the collision.
Ryan’s unborn son, who was to be named Armani Lester, was also counted among the six murder victims.
Two women traveling in another vehicle, Nathesia Lewis and Lynette Noble, were also killed.
Their deaths became central to a prosecution that argued the collision was not simply a tragic traffic accident but the result of conduct showing conscious disregard for human life.
What Prosecutors Argued
Prosecutors pursued the case under California’s second-degree murder law using a theory of implied malice.
That meant they did not have to prove that Linton intended to kill the victims.
Instead, prosecutors needed to convince jurors that she knowingly engaged in conduct dangerous to human life and continued despite understanding the risk.
The prosecution presented vehicle data indicating that Linton continued accelerating before reaching the intersection.
Evidence showed that the accelerator was pushed fully down as the Mercedes reached speeds of approximately 131 mph.
Prosecutors also argued that the car remained within its lane while traveling along the roadway, which they said was inconsistent with the defense’s claim that Linton had completely lost control because of a seizure.
They maintained that her actions demonstrated awareness and control immediately before the crash.
Defense Said Linton Suffered a Seizure
Linton’s attorneys presented a substantially different explanation.
The defense argued that she suffered a neurological event shortly before the collision.
Medical experts called by the defense testified about the possibility that Linton experienced a seizure that began in one area of the brain before progressing into a more serious episode involving loss of consciousness and muscle rigidity.
Her attorneys argued that such an episode could explain why her leg remained pressed against the accelerator.
They maintained that if Linton was unconscious and experiencing an unexpected seizure, she could not have acted with the state of mind required for second-degree murder.
Linton did not testify during the trial.
Medical Evidence Became Central to the Trial
Much of the three-week trial focused on whether the crash resulted from deliberate reckless driving or an involuntary medical event.
The defense introduced expert testimony supporting the seizure theory.
Prosecutors challenged that evidence.
They argued that neurological testing conducted after the crash did not establish that Linton was experiencing an epileptic seizure when the collision occurred.
The prosecution also pointed to the vehicle’s movement and acceleration as evidence that she was consciously operating the car.
Jurors ultimately had to decide which interpretation best fit the evidence presented at trial.
Their guilty verdict indicates that they concluded prosecutors had proven the required elements of second-degree murder beyond a reasonable doubt.
What Has Been Confirmed
Nicole Linton has been convicted of six counts of second-degree murder.
The verdict was returned on Friday, October 2, 2026.
The jury deliberated for approximately three hours.
The crash occurred on August 4, 2022, at La Brea and Slauson avenues in Windsor Hills.
Six people were killed, including a pregnant woman, her unborn child and her 11-month-old son.
Evidence showed Linton’s Mercedes was traveling at approximately 130 mph immediately before the crash.
Prosecutors argued that Linton acted with implied malice.
Her defense argued that she suffered a seizure and was unconscious when the collision occurred.
The jury rejected the defense position and found her guilty.
What Has Not Yet Been Confirmed
Linton has not yet received her final sentence.
The precise sentence she will receive will be determined during subsequent court proceedings.
Reports about possible sentencing ranges should not be confused with an actual sentence imposed by the judge.
The defense may also pursue post-trial motions or an appeal.
No appellate court has yet reviewed the jury’s verdict.
For that reason, the conviction is the current legal result, while further proceedings could continue for months or years.
Families Waited More Than Four Years for a Verdict
The crash occurred more than four years before the jury delivered its decision.
Relatives of the victims repeatedly attended court proceedings during the lengthy case.
The trial included disturbing evidence about the collision and the deaths, and some relatives reportedly left the courtroom during particularly graphic presentations.
When the verdict was announced Friday, emotional reactions could be heard from people in the courtroom.
For the victims’ families, the verdict represents a major legal development after years of hearings, evidentiary disputes and delays.
It does not, however, erase the loss of six lives.
Asherey Ryan’s family in particular lost multiple generations in a single crash: Ryan, her infant son and her unborn baby, along with her partner.
Why the Windsor Hills Case Drew National Attention
The crash initially attracted widespread attention because of its extraordinary violence and the widely circulated surveillance footage.
The case later raised complicated questions about the line between criminal responsibility and sudden medical emergencies behind the wheel.
The prosecution’s use of second-degree murder charges also made the case particularly significant.
Fatal traffic collisions can result in manslaughter charges, but murder convictions require prosecutors to prove a higher level of culpability.
Jurors were therefore asked to determine not simply whether Linton caused the crash — a point that was not seriously disputed — but whether her state of mind before the collision met California’s legal requirements for murder.
Friday’s verdict shows that the jury concluded it did.
What Happens Next
The case now moves into the sentencing phase.
A judge will determine the punishment Linton receives for the six murder convictions.
Her attorneys may also file post-verdict motions and can pursue an appeal after judgment is entered.
Additional court dates are expected to clarify when sentencing will occur.
The families of Asherey Ryan, Alonzo Quintero, Reynold Lester, Armani Lester, Nathesia Lewis and Lynette Noble may also have an opportunity to provide statements to the court before sentencing.
Until the judge formally imposes punishment, claims stating that Linton has already received a specific prison sentence should be treated as inaccurate.
Disclaimer
This article is based on verified court reporting and publicly available information as of October 2, 2026.
Nicole Linton has been convicted by a jury of six counts of second-degree murder. Her final sentence has not yet been imposed, and further post-trial or appellate proceedings may occur.
Statements describing the prosecution and defense theories are summaries of arguments presented during the trial and should not be confused with independent medical conclusions outside the court proceedings.