The arrest of two Colorado teenagers and their 21-year-old friend in connection with the killing of a 62-year-old man has drawn widespread attention due to the severity of the allegations and the disturbing details revealed in recently released court documents. Prosecutors have described the killing as a “brutal attack,” one that involved a combination of planning, physical violence and an alleged effort to conceal evidence after the fact.
According to investigators, the victim — who has not yet been formally identified by the Mesa County Coroner’s Office — lived with two of the suspects, Weston Owen and Sarah Bess, both 18, at the time of his death.
Authorities say the pair, along with their friend Kellar Weisgerber, conspired to attack Bess’s uncle inside his home late Friday night and into early Saturday morning, setting in motion a series of events that resulted in charges of first-degree murder and multiple felonies for all three defendants. The case has raised numerous questions about motive, the nature of the alleged conspiracy and the events that preceded the violent confrontation described in the arrest affidavit.
Timeline Leading Up to the Fatal Incident
According to the affidavit obtained by The Daily Sentinel, the alleged sequence of events began on Friday night when the victim, Weston Owen and Bess went out together to a local bar in Mesa County. Authorities say Owen served as the designated driver for the group, and the three returned to the residence after their outing.
However, what transpired during the drive back has become one of the early disputed elements in the investigation. Bess and Weston Owen offered conflicting accounts to investigators, but Owen claimed that he believed the victim had made a gesture toward Bess that made him uncomfortable. After they returned home, the victim went to bed while the two teenagers remained awake, and investigators say it was at this point that the plan for the attack began to take shape.
The affidavit states that Weston Owen called Kellar Weisgerber and asked him to come to the house to help “teach the victim a lesson,” language that authorities found significant in evaluating the intent behind the events that followed. Around the same time, police say Bess used Snapchat to send messages to another individual asking how to torture and murder someone, a detail that prosecutors highlighted during the suspects’ initial court appearance. These communications, investigators said, added to evidence suggesting the attack was premeditated rather than spontaneous.
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When Weisgerber arrived at the residence, authorities contend that the three suspects discussed a plan in which Kellar Weisgerber would hold the victim down while Weston Owen attacked. Bess was allegedly instructed to assist by turning on the lights at the appropriate moment. The plan, according to the affidavit, involved coordinated roles for each participant, indicating that the attack was not improvised but rather anticipated by all three individuals involved.
Details of the Alleged Attack and Disposal of the Body
Investigators say the attack began after the victim had fallen asleep in his bedroom. According to police, Kellar Weisgerber attempted to restrain the man while Weston Owen struck him in the head with a flashlight. The affidavit reports that Owen then used a cord to strangle the victim, an act that authorities say ultimately caused his death. After confirming that the victim had died, the suspects allegedly shifted their focus to removing the body from the home and concealing evidence of the crime.
Authorities say that in the early morning hours of Saturday, Weisgerber bound the victim’s hands and feet before dragging the body to a vehicle. He then drove to a remote area near the 21 Road desert region of Mesa County, where investigators believe he concealed the body behind a bush. Police later discovered the remains in the general area described in the affidavit, though the exact condition of the body has not yet been publicly detailed pending further forensic examination.
Later that morning, investigators allege that Owen and Bess gathered items stained with the victim’s blood and transported them back to the desert area with the intention of burning them. According to the affidavit, Bess told police she used the pretense of taking photographs of the fire to separate herself from Owen and call her mother, Wendi Bess.
In the phone call, she reportedly said she was afraid Owen might harm her and asked her mother to contact authorities. She further claimed that Owen had previously threatened her, allegedly holding a knife to her throat and warning her not to reveal details of the planned attack. Investigators have not publicly confirmed or refuted these allegations but noted that the claims were part of Bess’s statement.
Despite Bess’s call to her mother, it remains unclear exactly what led law enforcement to the suspects’ arrests later that day. Fruita police officers and Mesa County sheriff’s deputies had responded earlier on Saturday to what they described as a “suspicious incident” in the same general area where evidence was later discovered. By the end of the day, all three suspects were in custody and transported to the Mesa County Detention Center, where they remain held without release as their cases proceed through the judicial system.
Court Proceedings and Charges Filed Against the Suspects
Weston Owen, Bess and Weisgerber appeared in court on Monday, where prosecutors formally charged each with first-degree murder, felony evidence tampering, felony abuse of a corpse and felony conspiracy. During the hearing, Chief Deputy District Attorney Tearsa Olson emphasized the gravity of the alleged offenses, calling the killing a “brutal attack” and arguing that all three defendants posed a risk of fleeing if released from custody. Given the severity of the charges and the potential penalties associated with first-degree murder, the prosecution requested high bond amounts for all three individuals.
Judge Bruce Raaum agreed with the prosecution’s concerns and set bond at $2 million cash-only for each defendant, one of the highest amounts typically seen in local courts. A cash-only bond means the defendants cannot secure release through a bail bondsman and must pay the full amount directly if they wish to be released while awaiting trial. The court scheduled their next appearance for Friday morning, where attorneys for the defendants may address issues of representation, discovery and initial motions.
Because the case is still in the early stages of the legal process, many details have not yet been released, and investigators continue to examine digital evidence, witness statements and forensic findings. The Mesa County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified the victim pending notification of next of kin, though authorities have confirmed that he was related to Sarah Bess.
Autopsy results may provide additional clarity on the precise cause of death and other forensic findings that could become central to the prosecution’s case. As the investigation continues, prosecutors will likely seek to establish the degree of planning involved, the roles each suspect allegedly played and the credibility of statements given by the defendants.
Defense attorneys may challenge aspects of the investigation, the admissibility of certain evidence or the interpretation of communications cited by law enforcement. The case has attracted significant public attention due to the ages of the suspects, the nature of the allegations and the detail provided in the early reports released through the affidavit. All three defendants remain in custody as the case proceeds, and further developments are expected following their next scheduled court appearance.