ALBAWABA- Three high school seniors have been arrested in connection with the death of a 20-year-old woman who was killed when a rock was thrown through her car windshield as she drove home.
Suspects are facing charges of first-degree murder with extreme indifference
— News News News (@NewsNew97351204) April 26, 2023
Alexa Bartell, 20, was killed when a rock crashed through her car windscreen
Her car was one of a series of vehicles targeted last week, authorities confirmed pic.twitter.com/CHolPWoOqP
The suspects, Joseph Koenig, Nicholas "Mitch" Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak, all from Arvada, Colorado, are being held without bail and face charges of first-degree murder with extreme indifference.
Investigators are unsure who was driving and who was throwing rocks. Additional charges are expected. The suspects are alleged to have thrown large rocks at moving vehicles, causing damage to seven people including Bartell, who was killed, two people who were injured, and four others who were not hurt but had property damage.
"These suspects went from place to place to place throwing large rocks through windshields of moving vehicles. We've not seen that before," said Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jacki Kelley.
The Sheriff's Office believes that the rocks were thrown from a moving vehicle which has been identified as a black 2016 Chevy Silverado. No motive has been established, and investigators have found no evidence that the incidents were linked to any type of social media challenge. The investigation was aided by cellphone device forensics.
Overnight, JCSO Investigators arrested three 18 yo males in connection with Alexa Bartell's homicide that occurred during a rock throwing spree in north Jeffco and south Boulder counties last Wed night. Full press release: https://t.co/X0s4GP9poM. #JusticeForAlexa
— Jeffco Sheriff (@jeffcosheriffco) April 26, 2023
Mark Koenig, Joseph Koenig's father, was also arrested on a charge of obstructing a police officer. The case has touched many people, and investigators sorted through about 300 tips.
The victim's family expressed gratitude for the arrests, but they are still suffering. Kelley said that this is the beginning of the family's journey. She called the arrests a "great team effort" and praised investigators for their hard work, noting that many had slept very little over the past week. Kelley also noted that the suspects' behavior exhibited indifference about respect for human life.
"This case touched a lot of people deeply," Kelley said. "This was a beautiful young woman who had her whole life in front of her who was simply driving home, and her life was ended as a result of these acts."
