Eugene Woodland, also known as "Captain Nemo," who was convicted in the 1990 murder of a Sandy contractor, has died. The family of Bruce Larson has reacheed out to offer assistance to Woodland's family, says they long ago forgave him. 
 
 RIVERTON — Brian Larson was just 9 years old when his father, Bruce Larson, was shot to death in 1990. 
 
 "I haven't had him (nearly) my entire life. I haven't had that father figure. And my mom did an excellent job playing father figure growing up, no fault to her. But it's not the same as having a father. And I blamed Eugene for that. That was his fault. He's the one who took him away from me. And it was painful at times," Larson said. 
 
 Eugene Woodland, also known as "Captain Nemo," was arrested and eventually convicted of murder and sentenced to prison. 
 
 He died on Thursday at the age of 85. 
 
 The day after his death, Larson posted a message on his Facebook page referring to a dream he had just had about Woodland's passing. But rather than experiencing feelings of anger or of ill will, Larson dreamt that his father was one of the first people to greet Woodland. 
 
 "I had a vision that my father was one of the first people to welcome him on the other side and see him come across, fully forgiving of what took place and understanding of the situation because I don't think Eugene Woodland would have done what he did if he had been completely himself at the time," Larson said. 
 
 "Seeing him in this dream, he welcomes him with open arms and wanted to teach him." 
 
 Larson's message of forgiveness has become an inspiration for others. 
 
 "Despite him having murdered my father, he's still one of God's children. And he's still going to have the opportunity to be forgiven. The Atonement is there for everyone. Not just those who do small things," Larson said. 
 
 Never admitted guilt 
 
 Bruce Larson, 40, of Sandy, a contractor acclaimed for his integrity, a devoted husband, a father of five children, and someone who served in many callings for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was shot and killed on March 20, 1990. 
 
 His viewing was attended by thousands of people and took six hours to complete. 
 
 "Everyone was willing to wait hours to see him because he had done so much for so many people," his son recalled. 
 
 Even today, Larson said strangers occasionally come up to him and tell him stories about how Bruce Larson helped them many years ago. 
 
 Woodland once owned property at 4050 S. 900 East. He had planned to turn the building into "Captain Nemo's Dinner Theater Atlantis & Fitness Center." He lost the building to bankruptcy, however, and Larson ended up buying it. On the day of the shooting, Woodland sought out Larson, who was visiting the property, and shot him five times. 
 
 Woodland spent nearly four years being evaluated at the Utah State Hospital. Although many questions surrounded his competency, he refused to be declared mentally incompetent. And despite testimony from six people who all witnessed the fatal shooting, Woodland maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. He denied guilt during the trial and even at his last parole hearing in 2008 still proclaimed his innocence. 
 
 Larson doesn't believe Woodland was in his right mind at the time of the murder. 
 
 "I think had he been fully competent at the time, he wouldn't have done it," he said. 
 
 Woodland's next parole hearing wasn't scheduled until 2018. But on Aug. 31, 2012, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole agreed to release Woodland to a care facility in South Ogden under a state statute that allows for early release of chronically or terminally ill inmates. 
 
 Brian Larson said his family did not have a problem with Woodland being released from prison. ||||| Larson's son, Brian, heard of Woodland's passing on Friday. 
 
 "Last night I had a dream that my father was one of the first people to greet him on the other side, full of forgiveness," Brian Larson wrote in a Facebook post. "I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to forgive all men and I was impressed that my father not only forgave him, but wanted to teach him more about the gospel. His example in this dream makes it easier for me to fully forgive Eugene Woodland for what happened." 
 
 It took 40 court appearances, six defense teams and five prosecutors to decide if Woodland was sane, if he could be medicated against his will and if he was a killer. The sanity issue bounced from state to federal court and back again as he successfully fought off the state's attempt to forcibly medicate him to treat his mental illness. 
 
 Woodland's ability to befuddle the court system was not lost on lawmakers. In 1993, the Legislature eliminated the need to dismiss a criminal charge if a defendant is civilly committed. In Woodland's case, prosecutors had to dismiss murder charges and then re-file them six months later after doctors deemed him competent to stand trial. The state then had to start criminal proceedings from scratch — which included scheduling another preliminary hearing and again calling out-of-state witnesses to court. 
 
 Woodland was a familiar Salt Lake-area character, often seen about town sporting a flowing cape, high boots and a beret. He had a huge limousine and a car painted with scales and topped with a large fin, which he called the Fishmobile. For years he attempted to set a water speed record on Utah Lake with a jet-powered boat he called the Nautilus Missile. 
 
 He built the Woodland Drive-in Theater, started a real estate company and operated the partially complete Capt. Nemo's Dinner Theater Atlantis. Larson was helping build the $1 million dinner theater for Woodland but work stopped after Woodland emptied the construction escrow account of $500,000 and was unable to pay Larson and his partner. 
 
 Woodland declared bankruptcy and Larson and the partner acquired the building. The last straw for Woodland apparently came when Larson removed Woodland's picture from the marquee and leased the building to people who were turning it into a country-western dance club. 
 
 Six witnesses watched in horror as Woodland shot Larson five times. 
 
 At a 2008 parole board hearing, Woodland insisted he was innocent. 
 
 mmcfall@sltrib.com 
 
 Twitter: @mikeypanda ||||| See more of Brian Larson on Facebook
– On March 20, 1990, Bruce Larson was murdered near Salt Lake City after a contracting deal gone bad, leaving behind a wife and five kids, including 9-year-old Brian. But despite missing out on all the father-son bonding experiences over the years, Brian is finally able to forgive his dad's killer, Eugene Woodland. The driving force behind his newfound inner peace: a dream he had after Woodland died last week at the age of 85, the Deseret News reports. "Last night I had a dream that my father was one of the first people to greet [Woodland] on the other side, full of forgiveness," Brian posted on Facebook Saturday. "His example in this dream makes it easier for me to fully forgive Eugene Woodland for what happened." Woodland, known as "Captain Nemo" for his nautically themed getup, had been building "Captain Nemo’s Dinner Theater Atlantis." The elder Larson was renovating the site, but Woodland declared bankruptcy and Larson took over the property; after the shooting, Woodland was convicted of first-degree homicide. He successfully fought to keep the state from medicating him in a case that "changed the way Utah treats mentally ill defendants," reports the Salt Lake Tribune. After his death, Brian Larson says his mom called Woodland's daughter to lend support. "My mom is truly the most forgiving person in the world," he adds. (Pope Benedict forgave the woman who tackled him one Christmas Eve.)