Steamy emails exchanged in Nowak case

FOX 35 has obtained nearly 2,500 new pages of evidence in the case against former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak. Authorities said Nowak drove 900 miles non-stop from Texas to Orlando International Airport  to confront Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman in Orlando. 

A police report of the incident states that Nowak donned a disguise and was armed with a BB gun and pepper spray when she confronted Shipman, whom she viewed as a competitor for the love of Navy Cmdr. William "Billy" Offelein, an unmarried fellow astronaut.

We are learning more about the relationship between Offelein and Shipman.  There are copies of juicy e-mails between the two. We also know exactly what was said during interrogations with Orlando Police Department investigators and Nowak, Offelein and Shipman.

Read emails, see photo galleries and story archives in Nowak case on MyFoxOrlando.com >>>

Detectives also uncovered quite a lot from Lisa Nowak's home and office computers, including a U.S. search for Shipman. She also researched things like pepper spray.

Nowak was initially charged with attempted first-degree murder. But in late 2007, a judge threw out evidence against Nowak on the grounds that she was coerced into making damaging statements and was not properly advised of her rights.

Nowak is still accused of using pepper spray in a confrontation with Shipman, which is the basis behind a "battery with a weapon" charge brought against her. Her attorney had entered an insanity plea, but that was withdrawn earlier this year. In addition to the charges of burglary and battery with a weapon, Nowak still faces charges of attempted kidnapping.

In September Lykkebak filed a motion in the Orange County Circuit Court to dismiss the charge of burglary of a conveyance with an assault or battery with a weapon. If Nowak is found guilty, the felony charge could carry a life sentence, and would limit efforts by the defense for a more lenient sentence.

Nowak's defense team is set to re-depose key witnesses in the case including Orlando Police Detective Becton and Shipman.

Her trial is set to begin December 1.

This is a developing story.  We will have more information as we comb through the newly-released documents.