Greeley Police Commander Roy Smith stated that Pankey "had made repeated efforts to speak with detectives" about the Matthews case, but refused to answer questions when detectives traveled to Twin Falls on August 15, 2019. A little after 10:30 p.m., police found Vega's vehicle a little over a mile away, near 71st Avenue and 20th Street. Police continue to investigate the shooting. Pankey pleaded not guilty for those crimes . In metropolitan areas across the country, the increase in homicides last year eclipsed the national surge in some cases, many times over. The criminal indictment said that he "intentionally inserted himself in the investigation many times over the years claiming to have knowledge of the crime which grew inconsistent and incriminating over time". The case began Feb. 10 when a snowplow driver reported spotting a smoldering log and burned body along Old Flowers and Pingree Park roads about 40 miles west of Fort Collins in Larimer County. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Later, police said he referred to his right arm as the one that kills people. [21] In 2018, Pankey had campaigned for the Idaho Republican Party's nomination for the position of governor of Idaho. Homicide is Soaring in the Greeley, CO Metro Area Samuel Stebbins Homicides are rising at a record pace in the United States. When officers arrived at the business, they found Vega's glasses and a lot of blood, along with her finger. "[13], Jennifer Mogensen, Jonelle's older sister, said her family experienced "some closure" when they learned that Jonelle was murdered and she considers Pankey's arrest "another gift to our family". Their father began to worry and called police. Officers helped tend to the victims injuries until Evans fire personnel arrived. The 2019 Greeley crime rate fell by 9% compared to 2018. She was pronounced dead at 10:59 p.m. Police found Vallejos backpack in the front seat of the car. Homicides are rising at a record pace in the United States. Surprisingly, the killer was dressed in a black robe and was hiding their face with a grim reaper mask. In the last 5 years Greeley has seen decreasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. "She was part of our community.". New information from Greeley police has revealed some gruesome details about the sexual assault and murder of Angelica 'Angie' Vega. Pankey told the newspaper that he did not know Jonelle or the Matthews family and had only heard about them following the disappearance. Following extradition from Idaho, Pankey made his first appearance in a Colorado courtroom in Greeley on October 30, 2020.[24]. Who killed Jonelle Matthews? What her suspected killer said on the The video shows Vallejos sexually assaulting Vega. Greeley Police said officers were searching the area near where Vega's car was found and spotted Vallejos nearby. Suspect Marcos Vallejos, 24, has been arrested and booked into Weld County Jail on charges of first-degree murder and sexual assault. According to the Greeley. The police arrived at 10:15 PM and found footprints in the snow, indicating that someone had been looking in the windows. When the police initially approached Shawna, she insisted on her innocence and denied being involved in Heathers murder. The suspect is Jessica Reeves-Burrola, according to jail records. There were no signs of a struggle or of forced entry. Police have arrested a suspect and charged him with murder. Man charged with murder after police find body outside Greeley home Meet the news team or contact us. Coroner identifies 3 found dead at home in Greeley - KMGH Woman killed in Greeley identified, suspect in custody | 9news.com The person reported seeing a body covered in the backseat. The jury voted to convict Pankey on a single misdemeanor count of making false statements to police, but was unable to come to a unanimous verdict on the kidnapping and murder charges. DU loses to North Dakota in Summit tourney opener, Makar cleared to return 2nd time from concussion protocol, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, 'She was always smiling': Family remembers woman killed at Greeley smoothie shop. According to the arrest affidavit, surveillance cameras showed Vallejos enter Noco Nutrition at 5:36 p.m. with a backpack over his shoulder. Video surveillance obtained by police showed a 24-year-old murder suspect waiting for customers to leave a business before brutally killing a 22-year-old worker with a hatchet. He has an advisement hearing scheduled for this charge 9 a.m. Aug. 18. Jonelle's shoes and shawl were near a heater in the family room, a place she often sat. Police said Saturday they were investigating incident as possible murder-suicide, Yellow crime tape blocks off an area. Upon arrival, officers found the victim on the floor of the garage while two witnesses were providing help to the severely injured man. The Weld County Coroners Office on Thursday publicly identified the three people killed in a suspected murder-suicide over the weekend in Greeley. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Mogensen's father was reportedly "especially excited to see justice". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. She was very unique and had a heart of gold! While Vega was motionless on the floor, Vallejos laid the weapon on the counter and walked back toward the restroom and office area. Man Charged With Murder in 1984 Killing of Colorado Girl Taken From Surprisingly, the killer was dressed in a black robe and was hiding their face with a grim reaper mask. He interacted with Vega briefly at the shop's counter and then sat a table. Vallejos failed to show up for a court date in March. Officers said Vallejos threw a brick through the window of the Greeley Church of Latter Day Saints and went inside. During this time, Vega put things away and cleaned up the counter. On Monday, Weld Judge Vincente Vigil imposed the maximum sentence of 60 years in the . On Friday night, Vega's mother reported her missing after she didn't return home by 7:35 p.m. after she was scheduled to close the family business at 7 p.m. [13] Hicks said they returned to Greeley on December 26 and that Pankey took an unusual interest in the disappearance. 2A 23-year-old will spend 60 years behind bars for shooting and killing a Greeley man in October 2020. According to the show, Shawna was married to Ken Nelson, a Weld County sheriffs deputy, but also had an affair with Heathers husband, Ignacio, for several years. [5], Jonelle Matthews was born at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, on February 9, 1972, to 13-year-old Terri Vierra. People who knew her described her as a wonderful and kind individual who welcomed everyone with a smile and was always ready to extend a helping hand. Greeley resident Leandra Walker never met Vega or her family, but she left flowers and a poem at the store. An initial examination determined that she was dead, while an autopsy later confirmed that the Colorado State Employees Credit Union employee had died of multiple bullet wounds. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. A news release from the coroners office notes they were family. Police said the investigation is still ongoing. People from the community came by all day Saturday to pay their respects. A customer also told her someone broke into the business and there was blood on the floor. According to the arrest affidavit, Vega's mother told police that the business looked like a mess from the surveillance footage and she had also received a call from a customer that the business had experienced a break-in and that there was blood on the floor. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. 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[9] Jonelle's older sister, Jennifer, got home at 10:00 PM, but had not seen her. [21], Pankey gave an interview to the Times-News and said he was being framed by the police because of his sexuality, identifying himself as a "celibate homosexual". Greeley Police said they were called just before 8 p.m. Friday to a report of suspicious activity at Noco. He was wearing a white shirt, dark pants and had a black backpack. Despite the increase, the local homicide rate of 4.8 per 100,000 people remains below the national rate of 6.5 per 100,000. Vega and her vehicle were both missing. She said theyre pushing for better safety in this area. [21] He was held without bail at the Ada County Jail in Boise until he was extradited to Colorado. A wanted 34-year-old man is facing charges for first-degree assault and attempted murder after a late night hangout ended in a stabbing and severe injuries late last month in Evans. All other forms of violent crime also increased in Greeley last year, contributing to a near-nation leading 50% surge in the violent crime rate nearly 10 times the nationwide increase. Steve Pankey, a former longshot candidate for Idaho governor, has been indicted on Oct. 13, 2020, in the murder of Jonelle Matthews, a 12-year-old Colorado girl who went missing in 1984. "We're here for you. Crime rate in Greeley, CO - City-Data Jennifer McRae is a digital media producer. About 5:30 p.m. Nov. 27, 1979, two of Kay Day's coworkers on their way home found her red 1977 Datsun station wagon parked on the eastbound shoulder in the 5700 block of 20th Street, just southwest of the college campus. Footage of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer rattled confidence in American law enforcement and sparked nationwide protests. On September 13, 2019, the Greeley Police Department announced that Steven Dana Pankey, a former Greeley resident who ran for governor in Idaho in 2014 and 2018 and for lieutenant governor in 2010, was a person of interest in Jonelle Matthews' abduction and death. He also claimed to have watched students walking home from the middle school which Jonelle attended. GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR) The family of a 22-year-old woman who was killed Friday night has identified her as Angie Vega. According to court documents, in November, Vallejos was arrested on suspicion of second-degree burglary and criminal mischief, which are both misdemeanors. Moreover, officers also found a Grim Reaper mask in the truck the accused was driving, further strengthening their case. Officers helped tend to the victim's injuries until Evans fire personnel arrived. [19][20] The forensic report listed Jonelle's cause of death as "a gunshot wound to the head".[13][21]. The caller said Vega was supposed to close the business at 7 p.m. 'An Overwhelming Number Of Lies': Colorado Counselor Slain In Life She found it on the job, working as a 911 dispatcher, and falling in love with Sheriff's deputy Ken Nelson. [21] Mogensen said that while there had been sibling rivalry between her and Jonelle in 1984, Jonelle's killing eliminated the possibility for the two siblings to grow closer. The caller said Vega was supposed to close the business at 7 p.m. Before calling police, a worker saw video surveillance and noticed the place looked like a mess. [2] Vierra had used a search consultant to help locate Jonelle. About 7:52 p.m. Friday, a caller reported to Greeley police that 22-year-old Angie Vega never returned home after working an evening shift at NOCO Nutrition, a health drink bar in the 1990 block of 59th Avenue. Only metro areas with populations of at least 250,000 residents and at least one homicide in 2019 were considered. He then leaves and pulls his car closer to the business. [7][8][9] Her father was at his other daughter's basketball game[9] and her mother had traveled out of state to be with Jonelle's ill grandfather. but it can also be stressful. Greeley Police responded to the business for a wellness check after they were tipped off that someone might have broken in and the woman who was scheduled to close was missing. Upon arrival, officers found the victim on the floor of the garage while two witnesses were providing help to the severely injured man. Suspect Marcos Vallejos, 24, has been arrested and booked. Affidavit: Eaton man accused of killing mother argued - Greeley Tribune At the time of her murder, Heather Garraus was 37-years-old and happily married to Ignacio Garraus, a police officer in the Greeley Police Department. According to a recent FBI report, there were a total of 21,570 murders committed in 2020, the most of any year in the last two and a half decades and up nearly 30% from 2019 the largest annual increase on record. The 2019 crime rate in Greeley, CO is 233 (City-Data.com crime index), which is comparable to the U.S. average. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Internal Affairs, a podcast spinoff from the long-running news program Dateline NBC, is correspondent Josh Mankiewicz's six-episode exploration of a Colorado crime: the 2007 murder in Greeley of . Shortly after 8:30 PM, Jonelle answered a phone call and took a message for her father. A few moments later, he left his table and walked around the counter to the restroom out of the cameras view. [March 7, 1985]: I learned about Jonelle Matthews of Greeley, Colorado. She was beautiful smart loving and caring young lady filled with so much joy! For 11 minutes, he was out of the cameras view, arrest records said. Former Idaho gubernatorial candidate charged with killing girl, 12, who With snow on the ground, Jonelle's father thought it unlikely that she would go far without shoes. Jaramillo has several active warrants, but has not been taken into custody for the July 24 stabbing. The 59-year-old halfway house counselor had spent years doing drugs before a stint in jail, then rehab set him on the straight and narrow. He was last booked into the Weld County Jail on July 6, on suspicion of first-degree assault. GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR) Officers found a body outside a Greeley home shortly after midnight Saturday. Her family said at work, she wrote a message on every cup to cheer up customers. Vega was allegedly sexually assaulted and killed. In 2010, the Greeley Tribune published another summary of the case. [26] Nearly three weeks after two men were shot in Greeley, investigators have arrested a 32-year-old woman in connection with the shooting, the Greeley Police Department announced. Vallejos retrieved the piece of paper he left at the table earlier, folded it and placed it at the end of the counter. Northern Colorado basketball teams face tough road at Big Sky Tournament She was funny! According to court documents, he said, "Yeah, I'm your guy," when an officer told another officer aloud that he thought Vallejos, who was covered in blood, matched the description of the suspect. [17], A chokecherry tree was planted in front of Franklin Middle School in memory of Jonelle. The usually peaceful city of Greeley, Colorado, was forced to witness a horrifying homicide when Heather Garraus was murdered in cold blood as she left her place of work. "Its really scary to know that she was doing her job and someone so innocent can be taken for no reason, no reason at all.. Therefore, Shawna was arrested and charged with murder. Weld County Sheriff, DA announce arrest in 1979 murder of Evelyn Kay When he arrived at NOCO Nutrition, the worker went inside to find a hatchet and a lot of blood, arrest records said. [13], A few months following Jonelle's disappearance, Pankey attended a church service where a minister claimed that Jonelle would be found safe. His campaign website said that Pankey has studied criminal justice. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and left millions of Americans out of work. He then dragged Vega a few feet before sexually assaulting her, records said. Vallejos was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and sexual assault. Arrest affidavit reveals timeline of gruesome sexual assault, murder in Tawnya Bowie, who owns the business next door to Noco Nutrition, said they hope to support the family through some kind of fundraising event. In a matter of three days, on October 12, 2020, police arrested Pankey for kidnapping and first-degree murder in Jonelle's case. UNC lost to NAU, 62-59, in overtime. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. At 10:43 p.m. a witness told police the suspect vehicle had a body in the rear outside a convenience store at 71st Avenue and 20th Street in Greeley. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Trevor Reid covers public safety issues for the Greeley Tribune. Weld District Court Judge Julie Hoskins handed down a mandatory life sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections Thursday morning to 67-year-old Jesus Romero. Vegas body was inside that car. By the time first responders arrived at the murder scene, Heather was lying in a pool of blood on the ground. On April 14, 2009, the two-week trial for the murder of Angie Zapataan 18-year-old transgender womanis scheduled to begin in Greeley, Colo. Due to this landmark case's complexities and its significance for LGBT people, it is of utmost importance that media coverage of the tragic death of Angie Zapata be inclusive, accurate, and respectful of a community that is too often . On Thursday, the coroners office identified them as Richard Kraus, 83, Patricia Karus, 80, and Alan Kraus, 61, all of Greeley. GREELEY, Colo. ( KDVR) The family of a 22-year-old woman who was killed Friday night has identified her as Angie Vega. Every picture of Vega at the memorials shows her smile. Greeley Police said they were called just before 8 p.m. Friday to a report of suspicious activity at Noco Nutrition, in the 1900 block of 59th Avenue. Vallejos shuffled papers in and out of his backpack, drawing and writing on them, for nearly an hour. Police determined Jaramillo was hanging out with others in the garage when an argument broke out and the victim intervened. Deputies arrested him about an hour after finding his mother, 66-year-old June Martinez Faudoa, killed in her home just outside Eaton. Just before 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Greeley police were asked to do a well-being check on a family at a home in the 4900 block of 23rd Street Road after concerning text messages were received, a police spokesperson said. The City-Data.com crime index weighs serious crimes and violent crimes more heavily. In the minutes that followed, Vallejos made spontaneous and unsolicited statements that he killed someone. [14] She was mentioned in the Congressional Record for the United States House of Representatives on April 2, 1985, page 7224. Greeley, Colorado, is one of only four large U.S. metro areas where murders more than tripled in the last year. A few co-workers mentioned that although Heather was a wonderful person, a woman named Shawna Nelson had a massive grudge against her. By Bryan Pietsch Oct. 13, 2020 DENVER For more than three decades, the disappearance of Jonelle Matthews hung over the city of Greeley, Colo., where the 12-year-old was taken from her family's. [13][21] According to the 2020 indictment statement, shortly following their return to Greeley, Pankey started digging in their yard. Family members identified the woman killed as 22-year-old Angelica "Angie" Vega. The coworkers parked behind her station wagon and found her body inside. Connect with Trevor at (970) 392-4492, treid@greeleytribune.com or @treid71 on Twitter. Multiple bullets hit the kneeling woman, who immediately collapsed on the ground while the assailant made a quick escape. At 1:51 a.m. July 24, Evans police responded to a stabbing in a garage in the 4000 block of Mariposa Lane. Vallejos also claimed he had no rights and didnt understand them. Officers searched for him in the area and saw him walking a few blocks away. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Please enter valid email address to continue. Mar. Twenty-four-year-old Marcos Vallejos was arrested shortly after and charged with sexual assault and first-degree murder. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. At 1:51 a.m. July 24, Evans police responded to a stabbing in a garage in the 4000 block of Mariposa Lane. Now, a memorial is set up outside of the nutrition shop with flowers and photos of Vega. [21], On October 13, 2020, Steven Pankey was indicted on charges of murdering and kidnapping Matthews. but it can also be stressful. The Angie Zapata Murder: Violence Against Transgender People - GLAAD However, from the looks of it, the cops seemingly had an immediate breakthrough as there were several eyewitnesses to the murder. The last customer left at 6:13 p.m. and drove away at 6:16 p.m. Less than 10 minutes later, at 6:25 p.m., police said that the video shows Vallejos walking away from the table with his backpack but leaving a sheet of paper on the table. About 7:52 p.m. Friday, a caller reported to Greeley police that 22-year-old Angie Vega never returned home after working an evening shift at NOCO Nutrition, a health drink bar in the 1990 block of 59th Avenue. He laid the weapon on the couch and placed Vega on the cover. If youre an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. Marcos Vallejos, 24, is being charged with murder in the first degree and sexual assault. Jonelle Matthews case: Suspect indicted for murder in 1984 Greeley cold When officers arrived, the store was in disarray with large amounts of blood found inside. Footage from about 6:13 p.m. captured Vallejos watching the last customer leave the business.