From left: Weston Owen, Sarah Bess and Kellar Weisgerber (Fruita Police Department).
Three people from Colorado are behind bars after they allegedly beat a man to death with a flashlight and drove his body out to the desert where they dumped his remains.
Weston Owen and Sarah Bess, both 18, along with Kellar Weisgerber, 21, face a slew of charges including first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and conspiracy, the Fruita Police Department said. Cops in Fruita, which is in western Colorado, began investigating a suspicious incident on Saturday in the 21 Road desert area.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Grand Junction CBS affiliate KREX, Bess, her fiance Owen and the victim, Bess' 62-year-old uncle John Krabbe, were at a local bar on the night of the alleged murder. Bess had been serving as the designated driver when Owen saw Krabbe touch Bess' neck, making him think he was trying to molest her, the affidavit reportedly said.
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Per cops, Owen called Weisgerber and asked him to help "teach John a lesson." The three reportedly formulated a plan to kill Krabbe and waited until Krabbe went to sleep. Owen allegedly beat Krabbe with a flashlight as Weisgerber held him down until Bess heard his skull crack. Owen then reportedly strangled him. Bess checked Krabbe's pulse and felt none, the affidavit said.
Weisgerber allegedly tied up the victim's hands and feet with red rope. He and Owen dragged the body across the home and loaded it into Krabbe's Jeep, the affidavit reportedly said. They then allegedly drove to a remote desert area and dumped the body behind a bush.
The suspects then allegedly collected items with the victim's blood on them and drove to the area of 21 Road and burned them. As this was happening, Bess reportedly walked away and pretended to take pictures. She allegedly called her mother and told her that Owen held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the murder. Bess allegedly asked her mother to call police, who responded to the area.
According to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, a judge set the suspects' bonds at $2 million each. Their next court date is scheduled for Dec. 5.