Coroner – Garfield County, Colorado

Decedent identified in Rifle area death

Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Subject: Death investigation in Rifle, CO area; decedent identified. Identity of the deceased: Eliezer Vega Morales, 18-year-old male, resident of Rifle, Colorado. On Saturday, at approximately 9:09 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to a death at a residence in the Silt Mesa area near Rifle, Colorado. At 10 p.m., Garfield County Coroner’s Office investigators pronounced Mr. Vega Morales dead. An autopsy was completed on Monday, October 19, 2026, by the Garfield County Coroner’s Office contract forensic pathologist. In cooperation with the ongoing law enforcement investigation, the cause of death will not be

Fatal head-on crash on I-70 near Rifle

Identity of the deceased: Reese Allen, 18, female, of Silt, Colorado Kyle McKinney, 17, male, of Glenwood Springs, Colorado On Sunday, September 13, 2026, at approximately 2:57 a.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to a reported motor vehicle crash involving two fatalities on I-70 near mile marker 93.3, near Rifle, Colorado. Upon arrival, Garfield County Coroner’s Office investigators pronounced both Kyle McKinney and Reese Allen deceased. Both Mr. McKinney and Ms. Allen were the drivers of separate vehicles involved in the crash. For more information regarding the Colorado State Patrol investigation, please refer to the Colorado State Patrol

Highway 82 motorcycle fatality

Identity of the Deceased: Joshua Norton, 53-Year-Old Male, Resident of Grand Junction, CO On Sunday, August 2, 2026, at approximately 12:54 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to Highway 82, milepost 12.5, near Carbondale, Colorado, for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a fatality. Upon arrival, Garfield County Coroner’s Office investigators pronounced Joshua Norton, a 53-year-old male and resident of Grand Junction, Colorado, deceased. The Coroner’s Office investigation preliminarily indicates the cause of death to be blunt force chest injuries sustained in the crash and the manner of death as accident. The Garfield County Coroner’s Office

Glenwood Springs death investigation

Press release – Update May 7, 2026 Glenwood Springs, CO Identity of Deceased: Shawn Krause, 59-year-old male, resident of Keystone, CO. On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at approximately 10:04 a.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to the area of West 6th Street near Hotel Glenwood Springs for a death investigation. Upon arrival, Coroner’s Office investigators pronounced Shawn Krause, a 59-year-old male from Keystone, Colorado, deceased at the scene. The investigation preliminarily indicates the cause of death as a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and the manner of death is being investigated as suicide. Mr. Krause was visiting the Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs Interstate 70 fatality identified

Jennifer Parker, 47-year-old female, resident of Glenwood Springs, CO On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at approximately 7:19 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to westbound Interstate 70 at milepost 113 for a report of a female who had been struck and killed by a vehicle. Upon arrival, Coroner’s Office investigators pronounced the woman deceased and noted significant blunt force trauma. Additionally, the woman’s dog was located near her and was also deceased. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, January 16, 2026, with the Coroner’s Office contract forensic pathologist. The cause of death is being investigated as blunt force

Death investigations of Ryan Rose and Melinda Rose

Identities of deceased: Melinda Rose, 53-year-old female, resident of Rifle, CO Ryan Rose, 46-year-old male, resident of Rifle, CO On Saturday, July 12, 2025, at approximately 10:28 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to a residence in the Grass Mesa area of Rifle, CO, for a report of a male and female deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. Upon arrival, coroner’s office investigators pronounced Mr. Ryan Rose and Mrs. Melinda Rose dead at 11:20 p.m. Autopsies were performed on both individuals by the coroner’s office’s contract forensic pathologist. Mr. Rose’s cause of death was a gunshot wound, and the

Identification of bicyclist found dead near Carbondale, CO

Identity of Deceased: Matthew Cox, 38-year-old male, resident of Glenwood Springs, CO. On Sunday June 15, 2025, at approximately 10:18am, The Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to the Westbound shoulder of the 10.5-mile marker of Highway 82 near Carbondale, CO for a report of a male found deceased along the side of the road. Upon arrival, coroner’s office investigators pronounced Mr. Cox deceased. Mr. Cox appeared to have been riding his bicycle from Carbondale to Glenwood Springs on the evening of Friday June 13th. On June 16, 2025, an autopsy was performed on Mr. Cox. Mr. Cox did not

UPDATE – May 29, 2025 Triple fatality involving two vehicles, Interstate 70, mile marker 105.9 Westbound, New Castle, CO. Identity of deceased: Vehicle containing: Dawn Ingrid Triplat, 84-year-old female, resident of New Castle, CO. Single driver/occupant of vehicle. Cause of death, blunt force injuries. Manner of death, accident. Vehicle containing: Teddy-Jo Headrick, 79-year-old female, resident of Highland, UT, passenger of vehicle. Cause of death, blunt force injuries. Manner of death, accident. Richard Headrick, 81-year-old male, resident of Highland, UT, driver of vehicle. Cause of death, blunt force injuries. Manner of death, accident. The investigation into the circumstances of the two-vehicle

On September 2, 2024, at 2:08 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to the Glenwood Meadows Shopping Center for a report of a deceased male who was the subject of an officer-involved shooting. Coroner’s office investigators arrived to the scene at approximately 2:23 p.m. and pronounced the decedent dead at 2:33 p.m. The decedent was identified by the coroner’s office with assistance from law enforcement as Richard Grande, a 55-year-old male. Mr. Grande is known to live in his vehicle in and around the Glenwood Springs area. On September 4, 2024, the coroner’s office contract forensic pathologist performed

Two drownings at state parks in Garfield County in six days

On May 12, 2024, at 7:40 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to a report of a male who went missing at Rifle Gap State Park while paddleboarding. The coroner’s office responded and met with law enforcement and family learning the decedent had been paddleboarding with his girlfriend on Rifle Gap Reservoir. Neither were wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) and the decedent did not have a paddleboard leash to keep his board near him in the event of a fall. The decedent’s girlfriend reported that he was using marijuana prior to paddleboarding. She also reported that a

Motorcycle crash at Catherine Store Road and Highway 82

Identity of deceased: Marshall Eanes, a 23-year-old male, resident of Carbondale, CO. On May 19, 2024, at 2:07 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to Valley View Hospital for a report of a death investigation resulting from a motorcycle crash at the intersection of Catherine Store Rd. (County Road 100) and Highway 82 near Carbondale, CO. Upon arrival to the hospital, coroner’s office investigators learned the decedent was Marshall Eanes, a 23-year-old male and resident of Carbondale, CO. Investigators also learned, after visiting the scene of the crash, that that Mr. Eanes was witnessed travelling westbound on Catherine

Parachute homicide victim identified

UPDATE Monday, June 29, at approximately 1350 hours, the Cass County MN Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, arrested both Matthew Ogden, age 29, and Phyllis Wyatt, age 41, without incident. Authorities in Minnesota received a tip on a possible location in the Cass Lake area. Law Enforcement officials, along with the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, responded to the area, and found both parties inside a residence. They were apprehended without incident. On Saturday June 20, 2015, at approximately 11:15am, the Garfield County Coroner’s Office responded to a death investigation at Grand River Hospital.