Devan Schreiner found guilty of first-degree murder in Longmont shooting of Jason Schaefer

Mitchell Byars, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo.
·2 min read

Mar. 7—The woman accused of shooting her ex-boyfriend and the father of her child was found guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday.

Devan Schreiner, 27, was found guilty by a Boulder County jury of first-degree murder after deliberation in the death of Jason Schaefer, 33.

The jury heard about five days' worth of testimony before receiving the case Monday afternoon and deliberating for about eight hours before returning a verdict just after 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Because the charge carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, Boulder District Judge Patrick Butler proceeded immediately to sentencing and ordered Schreiner to spend the rest of her life in the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Deputy District Attorneys Carlos Rueda and Alison Brand read off several impact statements from members of Schaefer's family, including his mother Lori:

"This has been a living nightmare," she wrote. "I miss my son so much."

Schreiner did not address the court. Schreiner's defense attorney Jennifer Engelmann also declined to comment "in this court," a possible indicator that Schreiner will appeal the verdict.

Engelmann had moved for a mistrial Monday, accusing Butler of bias toward the prosecution and costing Schreiner a fair trial in his evidentiary rulings.

Schreiner and her then-boyfriend and codefendant Andrew Ritchie were accused of plotting to kill Schaefer while he was delivering mail in southwest Longmont on Oct. 13, 2021.

District Attorney Michael Dougherty stated, "This defendant is a cold-blooded murderer. She took steps to get away with this brutal murder, but she underestimated two things. First, the victim was very much loved by his family and coworkers; the information and support they provided was critical. Also, the US Postal Inspectors and Longmont detectives brought their best efforts and, along with our prosecution team, ensured justice was done. As always, we appreciate the time and service of the jurors."

According to an affidavit, Schaefer was shot three times next to his postal delivery van near a cluster of mailboxes on Heatherhill Street just west of Renaissance Drive.

Just two days before the shooting, Schaefer had filed a request to modify parenting time, and witnesses also said Schreiner appeared upset that Schaefer had recently started dating Schreiner's 19-year-old sister.

Schreiner's attorneys have not contested the fact that Schreiner was the shooter but lobbied for second-degree murder or manslaughter, saying Schreiner was manipulated and forced into the shooting by the actions of Ritchie and Schaefer.

Ritchie has his own trial set for April, and is also facing a charge of first-degree murder.