Man Arrested in Fatal Shooting Case Over Property Dispute in Rural Colorado

Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News : DENVER (KDVR) — Authorities have apprehended a 45-year-old man who allegedly shot and killed three people and injured another in Custer County, south of Colorado Springs. Hanme K. Clark was arrested on Tuesday afternoon by New Mexico State Police while driving a white truck that authorities had been searching for. A female was also found in the vehicle with him.

The incident occurred on Monday around 2:30 p.m., prompting a shelter-in-place order for the area of Rocky Ridge Road in Westcliffe as police conducted their investigation. The small rural community, with a population of only 435 people, was left shocked and devastated by the violent act.

Neighbors who were not involved in the shooting have accused Clark of harassment, alleging that he denied them court-ordered access to part of his property and posted signs indicating that he was armed. Court records reveal that there were ongoing disputes between Clark and his neighbors over easement lines.

The shooting transpired when a surveyor was working on a property owned by Rob Geers, near Clark’s property. Geers identified Clark as the aggressor, claiming that he approached them yelling about trespassing before opening fire. The surveyor managed to escape and seek refuge in a nearby home, approximately half a mile away.

The victims have been identified as 63-year-old Rob Geers, his wife 73-year-old Beth Wade, and 58-year-old James Daulton. Another female victim was critically injured. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office believes that Clark had some connection to at least one of the victims. Court records indicate that Geers had previously accused Clark of trespassing on his land on multiple occasions.

In fact, just days before the shooting, Geers reported seeing a man dressed in hunting gear, carrying a rifle on his property, whom he believed to be Clark. Geers and his wife had expressed concerns about being targeted by Clark’s harassment and trespassing.

Following Clark’s arrest, authorities released photos showing his capture by personnel from the New Mexico State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office expressed relief that the suspect was apprehended after a 25-hour manhunt.

During a press conference, Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith explained the timeline of events on the day of the shooting. It took approximately 22 minutes for deputies to arrive at the scene due to the rural location. The wooded area along a gravel road posed challenges for law enforcement. Deputies, along with assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, searched the area until 8 p.m. before lifting the shelter-in-place order.

It is believed that Clark had already left the area before deputies arrived. Authorities decided to hold the crime scene overnight to facilitate a thorough investigation in the daylight hours of Tuesday.

As of now, it remains unclear if Clark has legal representation who will speak on his behalf. The investigation into the motive behind the shooting and the exact circumstances of the disputes between neighbors is ongoing.

The tragic incident has left the tight-knit community of Westcliffe in mourning, as they grapple with the loss of three lives and the shocking violence that unfolded in their quiet town. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward and assist in their investigation.

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