Kelso man arrested for shooting man, then exploding body

KELSO — A 52-year-old man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of murdering a Kelso man during a dispute and blowing up the body in July.

The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office deputies say they found the scattered remains of Alan Brice Nielsen, 41, of Kelso on July 30 at the home of Jethro Nichols Welter in the 2100 block of Holcomb Road in Kelso. Deputies believe Welter shot Nielsen during a dispute on July 15, and later used explosives to blow up the body.

When detectives found Nielsen’s body, his remains were “scattered in and around a truck on the property,” and the explosion also damaged the truck, the sheriff’s office says. Deputies say they obtained a warrant prior to the search because they suspected someone had been murdered.

Deputies also report finding multiple firearms, including a stolen gun, and what they suspect is meth, on July 31. Later they said they found records that Welter purchased 60 pounds of explosives used for firearms practice from a local business after the gunshot, between July 17 and 19.

The Sheriff’s Office’s forensics team says they found evidence that Welter was at the scene of the murder when the event occurred.

Welter was in Cowlitz County Jail Thursday.

At Welter’s first appearance Thursday Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Marilyn Haan placed him on a no-bail hold, pending a hearing on Monday to decide whether bail will be set.

He faces the charges of first-degree murder, 10 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, possessing a stolen firearm, possessing an explosive device, possession of meth with the intent to deliver, evidence tampering, and unlawful disposal of human remains.