A woman believed to be the girlfriend of a man suspected of killing three people and wounding a fourth in a property dispute in rural Colorado is also being held in connection with the shooting. The arrest of Nancy Rae Medina-Kochis, 50, in New Mexico was announced Thursday by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado. It said she is suspected of being an accessory to a crime, pending the continued investigation into Monday’s shooting, which killed Robert Geers, 63, his wife Beth Wade Geers, 73, and James Daulton, 58, near Westcliffe, Colorado, about 77 miles southwest of Colorado Springs. Daulton’s wife, Patty Daulton, was also wounded.
According to court documents, their neighbor, Hanme Clark, yelled about trespassing and then started shooting while Robert Geers was talking to a surveyor. Clark was arrested on Tuesday near Albuquerque, New Mexico, after about 25 hours on the run. Medina-Kochis was with him at the time and is believed to be his girlfriend, sheriff’s office spokesperson Reggie Foster said Friday.
The motive for the shooting appears to be a longstanding property dispute. Other neighbors not involved in the shooting have accused Clark of harassing them, denying them court-ordered use of part of his property to access their property, and posting signs saying he was armed, court records said.
The Custer County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the incident, and it is not yet known if charges have been filed against Clark or Medina-Kochis. The presence of an alleged accomplice in the shooting adds a new layer to the case, raising questions about the extent of her involvement and potential legal consequences.
The small rural community of Westcliffe, Colorado, has been shaken by this tragic event, as the tight-knit neighborhood grapples with the loss of three lives and the injuries sustained by Patty Daulton. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges and tensions that can arise from property disputes, highlighting the need for peaceful resolution and respect for legal boundaries.
As the investigation progresses, authorities will work to gather more evidence and determine the full extent of the culpability of both Clark and Medina-Kochis. The community mourns the loss of the Geers and Daulton, and hopes for justice to be served in this devastating case.
