“She is just something else. You never knew what she was going to do,” said Ethel Burns.
Burns watched in disbelief Wednesday morning as investigators brought out thousands of knives, swords and other bizarre finds from the home next door.
“We knew she had a knife. But we didn’t know she had that many. Let’s just put it that way,” said Burns.
Forensic technicians and detectives worked throughout the day to remove 3,714 bladed weapons from the home of Nickcole Ellen Fay Dykema.
Deputies say Dykema was staring out of a broken window when they came to serve warrants on her late Tuesday, and she refused to come out.
They say Dykema tried to stab one of them with a machete. She used a blanket to shield herself when they fired a bean bag round, before hiding in one of her rooms filled with knives.
After a standoff that lasted five hours, she still wouldn’t give up. When she tried to run off again, deputies said they used a Taser and arrested her.
That’s when investigators discovered the large stash of weapons and Halloween props set up in satanic scenes.
“My people tell me there’s even some bones in there. We are relatively sure they are chicken bones or something similar,” said Sheriff Al Neinhuis.
While removing items from the residence, several personnel received minor injuries that required treatment at a medical facility. WFTS reported deputies said they believe Dykema "booby trapped" many of the bladed weapons, blankets, floors inside and even the yard outside, causing injury to personnel when dismantling and/or removing the items.
Deputies told WFTS all of them were in disguise or hidden from view, but they believe Dykema knew they were there.
“It’s a just a wonder that she didn’t hurt somebody really,” said neighbor Ken Russell.
While her neighbors say Dykema never got violent with them, the family next door got fed up with her antics and set up security cameras. Those cameras caught her destroying their window last month and air conditioning just last week.
That’s why some who live near her are glad she’s now behind bars.
“I am absolutely thankful. I mean, my family has been through hell for two years with this woman. With her screaming and carrying on and banging and doing damage to our house. Tormenting our other neighbors. It’s been pure hell. Pure hell,” said neighbor Paula DeFord.
Dykema was arrested last year at a Dollar General for shoplifting. During that arrest, deputies found three knives and a sword hidden under her clothing.
------
