20-year-old woman killed by rock thrown into her moving vehicle in Colorado

Carol Mckinley, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
·3 min read
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Apr. 20—There have been no arrests yet in the bizarre killing of a 20-year-old Arvada woman who was fatally struck by a rock that was thrown into her moving vehicle Wednesday night.

But Jefferson County Sheriffs investigators have tracked down a truck and its owner, and they've got a rock they believe was used as a murder weapon.

Sheriff's officials say Alexa Bartell was talking to a friend on the phone in her yellow Chevy Spark when she suddenly went silent.

Bartell's friend tracked down her phone and drove to the location on Indiana Street and found Bartell dead inside her car, which was off the roadway in a field.

Jefferson County authorities told The Denver Gazette that they had not interviewed the owner of the truck as of Thursday evening. Once they identify a suspect, they will recommend murder charges, Jeffco spokesperson Carlin Tilley said.

Bartell's death is believed to be part of a larger overnight crime spree involving rock hurtling, Tilley said. She indicated that the rocks were the type that is used in landscaping.

The rock hurtling began at around 10 p.m. Wednesday night, ended just after midnight Thursday morning and included five vehicles. Other drivers whose vehicles were hit had minor injuries.

Bartell's was the fourth of the five known incidents.

Around 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, Bartell was driving northbound near the 10600 block of Indiana Street near Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge when she was hit by the rock. According to JCSO, the rock was thrown possibly from a vehicle or the side of the road.

According to Facebook posts, Bartell, 20, went to Arvada West High School. Her friends are said to be devastated over her tragic death.

The sheriff's office was on the lookout for a light-colored, four-door 2003-2005 Dodge Ram. The vehicle has an "after-market cowl hood, tonneau truck bed cover and a six-inch lift," deputies said, and provided several photos of the vehicle at a gas station.

Jefferson County deputies provided the following timeline of events.

10:04 p.m. — Westminster — 100th Ave. & Simms St. — rock through a windshield — driver not injured.

10:36 p.m. — Boulder County — McCaslin Boulevard and South Indiana Street (entrance to Rock Creek neighborhood) rock through a windshield — minor injuries to the driver.

10:37 p.m. — Boulder County — McCaslin Boulevard and South Indiana Street (entrance to Rock Creek neighborhood) — rock hit a Toyota 4-Runner — body damage to a vehicle, driver not injured.

10:45 p.m. — Jefferson County — 10600 block of Indiana Street — rock through a windshield of yellow Chevy Spark — homicide.

April 20 at 12:24 a.m. — Arvada — Highway 93 at Highway 72 — rock through a windshield — minor injuries to the driver.

The sheriff's office said they're working with Boulder County Sheriff's Office, Arvada Police and Westminster Police to gather information. They believe there may be additional victims.

Investigators are asking for any other possible victims to call the JCSO tip line at 303-271-5612.

They are also looking for anyone who might have home security or dash cameras that may have caught the vehicle driving by.

Channel 9News contributed to this report.