Driver convicted of first-degree murder in case of Colorado teens who threw fatal rock at car

The past of 3 friends accused of killing a driver successful Colorado by throwing a stone done nan windshield of her car was convicted of first-degree execution Friday.

The teens were driving astir suburban Denver successful 2023, throwing rocks astatine passing cars, erstwhile 1 struck and killed 20-year-old Alexa Bartell successful a crime prosecutors classified arsenic murder.

After two of nan defendants had taken plea deals, nan assemblage recovered nan third, Joseph Koenig, blameworthy astatine nan conclusion of a two-week proceedings during which jurors had to wade done nan shifting and competing versions of nan truth offered by nan defendants. Sentencing is scheduled for June 3.

Koenig, now 20, insisted that different personification successful nan trio threw nan stone that killed Bartell. But nan 2 friends, whose agreements pinch prosecutors could lead to shorter situation sentences, said Koenig threw it.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Katharine Decker told jurors nan harm to Bartell’s car was accordant pinch Koenig, who is left-handed and was driving, throwing nan rock, shotput-style, retired nan driver’s broadside model astatine Bartell’s car arsenic 1 of nan friends, Nicholas Karol-Chik, testified.

Even if jurors weren’t convinced Koenig threw nan rock, she had urged them to still find him blameworthy of first-degree execution arsenic a conspirator pinch his friends, who some pleaded blameworthy to lesser charges.

The defense didn’t conflict that Koenig participated successful nan nighttime of rock-throwing but said nan 3rd defendant, Zachary Kwak, threw nan fatal rock.

His attorneys based on Koenig did not cognize anyone had been wounded until Bartell’s car went disconnected nan road, and that he had borderline characteristic disorder, which affected his impulse power and judgment.

One of Koenig’s lawyers, Martin Stuart, told jurors to alternatively find him blameworthy of manslaughter, nan slightest superior complaint he faced successful Bartell’s death, because he didn’t knowingly effort to termination her. Jurors besides had nan action of uncovering Koenig blameworthy of manslaughter arsenic a conspirator, moreover if they didn’t deliberation he threw nan stone himself.

On April 19, 2023, aft seeing Bartell’s car time off nan roadworthy aft being hit, nan 3 friends circled backmost a fewer times to look again, according to grounds and investigators. One of them, Kwak, took a photo as a memento, but nary 1 checked connected nan driver aliases called for help, according to their testimony.

Bartell’s assemblage would not beryllium discovered until her girlfriend, Jenna Griggs, who was connected nan telephone pinch her that nighttime erstwhile nan telephone abruptly trim out, tracked her telephone to nan field, she testified. The only DNA recovered connected nan fatal stone was Bartell’s, making nan grounds from Kwak and Karol-Chik cardinal to nan prosecution.

The friends agreed not to talk to anyone astir what had happened. But Kwak, nan newest 1 to nan group, later told investigators that Koenig had thrown nan fatal rock.

Karol-Chik, who said Koenig was for illustration a “brother” to him, pointed nan digit astatine Kwak earlier changing his communicative and saying that Koenig had thrown nan stone that killed Bartell.

Karol-Chik, who was sitting successful nan rider spot of nan pickup arsenic Koenig drove, testified that Koenig seemed “excited” arsenic they drove by Bartell’s car and astatine 1 constituent made a “whoop” sound.

“It sounded for illustration him celebrating,” said Karol-Chik, who admitted he had placed nan fatal stone adjacent to Koenig truthful he could drawback it and propulsion it arsenic he drove.

Koenig’s lawyers tried to formed uncertainty connected nan reliability of nan different men’s accounts.

“You person nary logic to judge me, but I besides person nary logic to protect anyone anymore,” Karol-Chik said connected cross-examination.

Karol-Chik and Kwak contradicted 1 different connected a cardinal point. Karol-Chik said they each threw astir 10 rocks each that night. Kwak said he didn’t propulsion any. The defense pointed retired that Kwak did not opportunity Koenig had thrown nan stone until a detective told him personification had accused Kwak himself of doing it.

But successful their questioning of nan friends, nan defense besides stressed that nary of nan 3 had intended to wounded anyone.

Kwak entered into a plea deal first, pleading guilty successful May 2024 to first-degree battle successful Bartell’s death, acknowledging that he acted successful a measurement that created a sedate consequence of death.

He besides pleaded blameworthy to second-degree battle and attempted second-degree battle for nan rocks that were thrown earlier successful nan night. He faces betwixt 20 and 32 years successful prison, prosecutors said.

About a week later, Karol-Chik pleaded guilty to second-degree execution and committing a crime of violence. He besides pleaded blameworthy to attempted first-degree execution for throwing rocks astatine a full of 9 group that nighttime and earlier successful 2023. Under his plea agreement, Karol-Chik could beryllium sent to situation for betwixt 35 and 72 years erstwhile he is sentenced.