Poulsbo Murder Mystery: Who killed Nicholas Serra?

It’s been eight months since Nicholas Serra was murdered at an apartment complex in Poulsbo. Eight months since his loved ones learned about his death. Eight months, with his killer still out there.

POULSBO, Wash. - It’s been eight months since Nicholas Serra was murdered at an apartment complex in Poulsbo.

Eight months since his loved ones learned about his death. Eight months, with his killer still out there.

"Nick’s attacker purposely bludgeoned him in the head until his lifeless body was lying on the sidewalk," said Serra’s uncle, Tom.

Video from a resident’s doorbell camera captured the 26-year-old wandering around the Winton Woods Apartments in Poulsbo on the night of Oct. 14, 2023. The next time anyone saw Serra would be on the morning of Oct. 15.

"He was on the ground with a significant amount of blood surrounding him," said Poulsbo Police detective April Allen.

She was on the scene that morning. Serra’s body was on the sidewalk of the apartment complex. A coroner ruled he died from blunt force trauma to the head.

"This was not an accident," Serra’s uncle said. "This person who did this violent crime is still out there. If he or they could do this to my nephew Nick, they could do it to anyone else. They need to be caught."

Serra moved to Washington and lived with Tom a couple of years ago. Both of Serra’s parents live out of state, but Tom told FOX 13 News, Serra did some traveling and only just returned in Sept. 2023.

The next month, he was killed.

"No parent should have to bury their child," Tom said. "My shrimping, crabbing buddy is gone, no longer with us, he will be missed, he is missed."

Tom described Serra as a kind, soft-spoken young man who loved playing his video games.

FOX 13 News went back to the area where this happened eight months ago. It's an area that’s still filled with so many unanswered questions, but the most pressing question: who killed Nick?

"I still, personally, have someone who I’m interested in," Allen said.

The detective can’t say much because this is still an active investigation, but she told FOX 13 News, while it’s obvious an assault happened, she doesn’t think the intention was for it to result in a death.

There’s also still the question of what Serra was doing in that area. He didn’t live there, and police can’t find anyone who knew him there. So, why was he at that apartment complex that night?

"Nick was an Uber driver, a roadie driver," Allen said. "Some of the theories we were floating was: ‘Was he there making some deliveries, and the delivery [had] somehow gone wrong?’"

However, based on information from his phone and the GPS data, investigators ruled that out.

"I don’t know why he was there and, unfortunately, he’s not here, so I can’t ask him," Tom said.

Some neighbors did see Serra earlier that night though, according to police.

"Some of the terms they were using was he had appeared to be high, [that] was one of the terms, another young female described them as being drunk, so there definitely appeared to be something going on with Nick," Allen said.

She added, Serra’s toxicology screening came back negative, meaning there were no drugs in his system when he died.

"Based on some information that I was provided by his family, Nick was possibly suffering from some mental health issues," Allen said.

Detectives are facing other challenges in the investigation. While there were apartments just feet away, police told FOX 13 News that no one reported seeing or hearing anything.

"You can see you have the shrubs behind you and the utility shed, and we have this area with the tree as well, so basically, it’s a very private spot," Allen said.

For Serra’s family, though, their grief is anything but private. They’re begging someone, anyone with information to come forward. They and CrimeStoppers are offering a $15,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest and charge of the person who killed Serra.

"This case happened in October of last year. It refreshes people’s minds that this case is still ongoing, and we’re hoping this may turn an allegiance to the suspect because somebody knows who did this," said Jim Fuda of Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.

"It would be nice to bring a little bit of closure to this for the family," Allen said.

Looking back on one of his last memories of his nephew, Tom shared how Serra had plans to go to Australia. "I’m sorry he’s not able to do… do that," Tom said. "It’s very tough, time supposedly heals all, but it hasn’t healed this one yet."

If you know anything about the incident, you’re asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip online.

This remains the only unsolved homicide in the City of Poulsbo.