Deadly Obsession: The Twisted Love Triangle That Led to Murder Accusations
On a crisp November morning in 2011, Linda Kolman set out on a frantic search for her missing husband. Tom Kolman hadn’t shown up for work, and something felt terribly wrong. Her worst fears materialized when she found him lifeless in the driver’s seat of his sedan, parked outside a Kingston, New York, gym. The seat was reclined, his pants were undone, and there was no clear explanation—only an eerie silence.
What followed was a case that shocked the quiet suburban town and spiraled into a bizarre tale of betrayal, deception, and an alleged murder plot involving Tom’s best friend, a local dentist named Gilberto Nunez.
A Sinister Affair Unraveled
For nearly four years, Tom’s death remained a mystery—until October 2015, when authorities arrested Nunez and charged him with second-degree murder. Investigators had pieced together a narrative of jealousy and manipulation, alleging that Nunez poisoned his so-called best friend with a fatal dose of Midazolam, a powerful sedative.
At the heart of the case was an affair. Nunez, who was in the process of separating from his wife, had been romantically involved with Linda Kolman for nearly a year. Authorities claimed his obsession with her reached a dangerous level—so much so that he devised an elaborate scheme to eliminate his rival.
As law enforcement dug deeper, more disturbing details surfaced. Nunez was found in possession of fake CIA documents, and investigators discovered that he had woven an intricate web of deceit, including fabricated letters and anonymous messages meant to manipulate Linda and further his own agenda.
The Web of Lies
The trial, held in 2016, was nothing short of sensational. Linda took the stand, recounting how she had first met Nunez through their children’s karate class. Their friendship turned into an affair, but as the relationship unfolded, so did Nunez’s manipulative tendencies.
She told the jury about mysterious text messages she had received from a woman claiming to be sleeping with her husband. Desperate for answers, she turned to Nunez, who claimed he had CIA connections and could verify the accusations. He later presented her with a letter—supposedly from the intelligence agency—confirming Tom’s infidelity and bizarrely advising her to forgive him.
The twists didn’t stop there. After Tom discovered the affair in mid-2011, the three maintained an odd dynamic—one where Nunez and Tom seemed closer than ever, despite the betrayal. Tom even called Nunez “the best friend he ever had.”
But behind the scenes, prosecutors alleged, Nunez was planting the seeds for his sinister plan. He used a burner phone to send accusatory texts to both Linda and Tom, attempting to drive a wedge between them. He even pretended to be his own mother in an email to Linda, begging her to leave Tom. When all else failed, the prosecution argued, he resorted to murder.
Did Nunez Kill His Best Friend?
The case against Nunez was largely circumstantial but compelling. Surveillance footage allegedly placed his SUV near the gym at the time of Tom’s death. Authorities also found internet searches for Midazolam on his computer and two vials of the sedative in his dental office’s emergency kit.
Perhaps most damning was the toxicology report. Tom’s body had been exhumed twice, and during the second examination, traces of Midazolam were discovered in one of his eyes. Prosecutors argued that Nunez had poisoned Tom’s coffee, reclined his car seat, and positioned his head in a way that would restrict his breathing—turning his sleep apnea into a silent killer.
But the defense fought back. Nunez’s attorneys insisted that Tom’s death was natural, citing his severely enlarged heart as a more plausible cause. They called expert witnesses who testified that the dosage of Midazolam found in his body wasn’t enough to be fatal. Moreover, they pointed to Tom’s activity on a hookup website, arguing that he could have been meeting someone else that morning.
The Verdict: Justice or Doubt?
After two weeks of gripping testimony, the jury deliberated—and in June 2016, Nunez was acquitted of murder. While prosecutors had painted a chilling narrative, they had failed to clear the hurdle of reasonable doubt.
Yet, Nunez wasn’t off the hook entirely. He was convicted on forgery charges related to the fake CIA documents—an indisputable crime. As more skeletons tumbled from his closet, Nunez faced additional trials for unrelated insurance fraud and perjury charges, ultimately landing him a prison sentence of two-and-a-third to seven years.
The judge who sentenced him didn’t mince words, calling Nunez “an individual consumed by an illicit affair, willing to do absolutely anything to promote his prurient interests.”
Where Is He Now?
After serving 19 months at Altona Correctional Facility, Nunez was released in 2018 with a clean disciplinary record. However, his days as a dentist were over—his license was permanently revoked by a New York State review board.
Despite the media frenzy that once surrounded him, little is known about what Nunez has been up to in recent years. He remains on parole and has since remarried a real estate agent named Yameil.
Meanwhile, Tom Kolman’s loved ones are left with lingering questions. Was justice truly served? Did a murderer walk free, or was Tom’s death really a tragic case of bad timing and natural causes?
The love triangle that began in secrecy ended in scandal, leaving behind a haunting mystery that still divides those who followed the case. One thing remains certain—what happened in that Kingston parking lot will forever be shrouded in doubt.
