JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo — Three 18-year-old suspects, who’re highschool seniors, have been arrested in connection to a string of rock-throwing incidents at automobiles together with the mindless assault that killed 20-year-old Alexa Bartell.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Workplace introduced the arrests Wednesday morning.
Bartell was killed on April 19 round 10:45 p.m. after a rock was thrown into her windshield whereas she was driving northbound on Indiana Avenue in Jefferson County.
The 18-year-old suspects have been recognized as Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak and all have been arrested at their Arvada houses, based on the sheriff’s workplace.
Asserting the arrests, Jacki Kelley, public data officer with the sheriff’s workplace stated the three suspects are seniors at completely different excessive colleges, however didn’t share which colleges they attended.
She stated the suspects have been arrested of their houses, delivered to the sheriff’s workplace Tuesday night time and booked into the jail.
“This actually got here because of cellphone gadget forensics and supporting data from our public,” Kelley stated.
She famous greater than 300 ideas from the general public through the week-long investigation.
The three suspects face fees of first-degree homicide – excessive indifference associated to Bartell’s dying and extra fees are anticipated to be filed in connection to the opposite rock-throwing incidents, the sheriff’s workplace stated.
Their first court docket look is scheduled for Thursday.
Investigators stated Bartell’s car was the final one in a collection of automobiles to be struck by massive landscaping rocks.
Her household was notified of the arrests early Wednesday morning.
“We have been capable of name them in the course of the night time as soon as we had secured the suspects and introduced them to the station. These calls have been made they usually’re simply so grateful,” Kelley stated. “They’re nonetheless affected by the best loss doable however that is the start of the journey that they’ll be on subsequent they usually’re extremely grateful that these suspects are not less than recognized and delivered to justice for what they’ve performed.”
On Monday, two extra individuals got here ahead to report they have been victims in separate rock-throwing incidents on that very same night Bartell was killed.
These incidents have been reported on southbound Freeway 93 between milemarker 128 and Coal Creek Canyon highway, based on Jenny Fulton, public affairs director with the sheriff’s workplace.
There have been the opposite related assaults reported that very same night:
Native Information
Sufferer from Jefferson County rock-throwing incidents speaks out
9:49 PM, Apr 25, 2023
Bartell’s employer, Business Flooring Companies provided a $15,000 reward for data in honor of their “youngest, brightest worker.”
Bartell’s mom, Kelly, can be a CFS worker, the corporate stated.
As flowers lined a damaged fence close to the place Bartell was killed, mates shared with Denver7 their recollections of a life minimize quick.
“She was a good friend to everybody and introduced a lot pleasure into everybody’s lives,” a good friend who requested to not be recognized stated.
“She was a really huge persona. Everyone beloved her,” Bartell’s good friend Samantha Motisi stated throughout a go to to a makeshift memorial Saturday.
It is a growing story and shall be up to date. Denver7’s Stephanie Butzer contributed to this report.
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