Three young adults — including the victim’s teenage niece — are being held on $2 million bond each after prosecutors accused them of brutally killing a 62-year-old man in Fruita, Colorado. The attack allegedly involved beating the man with a flashlight, strangling him, and later dumping his body in the desert.
According to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, 18-year-olds Weston Owen and Sarah Bess, along with 21-year-old Kellar Weisgerber, appeared in court Monday on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and felony abuse of a corpse. Investigators say the three lived with the victim, who has not yet been publicly identified by the coroner’s office.
Court documents outline a disturbing series of events that began late Friday night. After a trip to a local bar, Owen—who acted as the designated driver—claimed the victim made an inappropriate gesture toward Bess during the ride home, though investigators noted the suspects later gave conflicting accounts.
Once back at the residence, the victim went to bed. The arrest affidavit states that Owen called Weisgerber, asking him to come to the house to help “teach [the victim] a lesson.” Meanwhile, Bess allegedly used Snapchat to ask someone for advice on how to torture and kill a person.
When Weisgerber arrived, police say the plan turned fatal. Weisgerber reportedly held the victim down while Owen struck him in the head with a flashlight and strangled him with a cord. Bess was instructed to turn on the lights during the assault.
After confirming the victim was dead, investigators say Weisgerber bound his hands and feet, loaded the body into a vehicle, and left it in a remote desert area hidden behind a bush.
The following morning, Owen and Bess returned to gather blood-stained items from the home and attempted to burn them in the 21 Road desert area. During this attempt to destroy evidence, Bess told detectives she managed to slip away and called her mother, saying she was afraid of Owen and claiming he had previously threatened her at knifepoint.
According to the Daily Sentinel, Bess’s mother contacted authorities, prompting Fruita police and Mesa County deputies to respond to a “suspicious incident” that eventually led to discovery of the crime scene.
During Monday’s hearing, Chief Deputy District Attorney Tearsa Olson described the attack as “brutal” and argued that the suspects presented a high flight risk due to the severity of the charges. Judge Bruce Raaum agreed, issuing a cash-only $2 million bond for each defendant.
All three are expected to return to court Friday morning as the investigation continues.
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