By Chuck Hustmyre

(Continued)

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During her madcap 12-hour drive to Florida to catch Shipman's plane, Nowak wore adult diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to use the bathroom. She also brought with her a wig, a trench coat, latex gloves, and a box of large plastic trash bags.

Nowak caught up with Shipman in a dark airport parking lot and initially tried to pull open the Air Force officer's car door, but when Shipman locked it, Nowak tricked Shipman into rolling down the window a couple of inches. Nowak then allegedly sprayed Shipman in the face with pepper spray, but Shipman managed to escape by driving to a manned parking lot booth, where she asked the attendant to call 911.

Police charged Nowak with attempted first-degree murder, attempted kidnapping, battery, and attempted vehicle burglary.

A subsequent search revealed Nowak had with her copies of the emails between Oefelein and Shipman, information about Shipman's flight from Houston to Orlando, directions to Shipman's home, and an undated letter to Oefelein's mother.

In the letter, Nowak wrote: "Bill is absolutely the best person I've ever known and I love him more than I knew possible."

Also in the letter, Nowak thanks Oefelein's mother for her support and seeks to reassure her that she is in the process of filing for a divorce. According to her parents, Nowak separated from her husband in January.

Nowak was released from jail on Feb. 6 after posting a $25,500 bond. She returned to Houston the next day.

In a statement to police released this week, Shipman expressed concern about the remnants of her new beau's relationship with Nowak, who still had a key to Oefelein's apartment and the password for his personal computer. It was from that computer that police think Nowak accessed the emails between Oefelein and Shipman. 

During a recent trip to Houston to visit Oefelein, Shipman joked about a purple bicycle she saw at Oefelein's apartment. Oefelein told her it belonged to Lisa.

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Crash Landing: The Spectacular Fall of Lisa Nowak

Astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak Charged With Attempted Murder

Contact Chuck Hustmyre at chuck3174@yahoo.com

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