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Deborah Nicholls Help Rebuild a Life After a Wrongful Conviction
In 2003, Deb Nicholls’ life was forever changed by a tragic house fire that took the lives of her three children. While Deb was working her second job, her husband Tim woke in the early morning hours with a sense that something was wrong. When he checked the circuit breaker, he opened the garage door and heard a sudden whoosh. The house was on fire.
Tim ran upstairs, calling for their children to come to him. Believing they were right behind him, he fell from a bedroom window and desperately screamed for them to jump. Tragically, the children had hidden and were overcome by smoke and fire.
Instead of compassion and support, Deb and Tim were met with suspicion. They were charged with murder and later convicted based on the testimony of a jailhouse informant, deeply flawed fire science, and serious prosecutorial misconduct. Critical evidence was withheld from the defense—even after an expert informed the District Attorney that the defense expert’s conclusions were correct. That information was buried and never turned over.
Deb has now spent nearly 20 years incarcerated, fighting tirelessly to prove her innocence since her conviction in 2008. Throughout those years, she has endured unimaginable loss—not only the death of her children, but also the loss of numerous family members while she remained behind bars.
Now, Deb has been given the opportunity to clear her name and re-enter her community after decades of wrongful imprisonment.
Re-entry after long-term incarceration is incredibly difficult. Deb is starting over with limited resources, no financial safety net, and profound grief that no one should ever have to carry. She needs help securing basic necessities such as clothing, transportation, and everyday living expenses as she rebuilds her life from the ground up.
Your support can make a real difference.
Every donation—no matter the size—helps Deb take the next steps toward stability, healing, and dignity. If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser to help spread the word.
Thank you for standing with Deb Nicholls as she begins this long-overdue journey toward justice, healing, and a second chance at life.
To see more of Deb's story go to https://5280.com/byline/robert-sanchez/page/2/ and see Did Bad Fire Science Send Tim and Deb Nicholls to Prison?
(Art is Deb’s passion and this is one painting she has completed while in prison).