Man Captured After 25-Hour Manhunt Following Fatal Shooting in Rural Colorado

By [Author Name]

DENVER (AP) —

A man was apprehended on Tuesday after evading authorities for 25 hours following a fatal shooting that left three people dead and one critically injured in a property dispute with neighbors in rural Colorado. The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Hanme K. Clark, was arrested by New Mexico State Police near Albuquerque, according to an announcement made by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado on Tuesday afternoon. While a weapon was found in Clark’s pickup truck, it has not been confirmed if it is the same weapon used in the slayings, stated Officer Wilson Silver of the New Mexico State Police.

Prior to the shooting, neighbors unrelated to the incident had accused Clark of harassment, denying them court-ordered access to a portion of his property, and even displaying signs indicating that he was armed, court records revealed.

The tragic incident occurred on Monday afternoon when a surveyor was working on a property owned by Rob Geers near Clark’s property, located in Westcliffe, approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Colorado Springs. Westcliffe, nestled between two mountain ranges, is an area known for its farms, ranches, and vacation homes.

According to the surveyor’s statement to investigators, a man later identified as Clark approached them and began shouting about trespassing before opening fire. The surveyor managed to escape and sought refuge in a nearby residence, approximately half a mile away, as stated in Clark’s arrest affidavit.

Patty Daulton, who was injured in the shooting, dialed emergency services, reporting that she believed her husband and two others had been shot dead. Gunshots could be heard in the background of the distress call, the affidavit indicated.

The victims were identified as Rob Geers, 63, his wife Beth Wade Geers, 73, and James Daulton, 58, husband of Patty Daulton. Patty Daulton is currently receiving treatment at a trauma center, according to officials from Custer County.

Clark had a history of trespassing on Rob Geers’ land, with records from the shooting case showing at least four previous incidents. On November 17, Geers claimed that a concealed camera captured an image of a man dressed in hunting gear, carrying a rifle, and with his face concealed, on his property, whom he suspected to be Clark. Geers also alleged that Clark and his girlfriend had targeted him and his wife through harassment and trespassing, expressing concerns about the presence of a weapon.

Although the property dispute had previously prompted sheriff’s deputies to visit the area multiple times in recent years, there was no indication that it would escalate into violence, according to Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith.

One week prior to the shooting, another landowner in the vicinity requested that Clark be held in contempt of a June 2022 court order, which had granted them access to cross Clark’s property in order to reach their own land.

Kevin Flesch, an attorney representing one of the defendants who lost their easement access, revealed that Clark had previously locked a gate and displayed a sign stating “the owner of this property is armed.”

Easements, which grant legal rights to cross someone else’s land, are particularly significant in rural American communities like this one. Due to property boundaries established soon after the Civil War, these boundaries are often less defined than in urban areas, resulting in frequent calls for law enforcement assistance in resolving property disputes, Sheriff Smith explained.

Aside from the shooting incident, Clark was also a part-owner of a business called Herbal Gardens Wellness, which focuses on promoting health and well-being through herbal remedies, as stated by Sheriff Smith.

Following the shooting, authorities in Westcliffe, a small town with a population of approximately 500 people, enlisted assistance from other agencies and conducted searches of the surrounding woods and buildings using night vision equipment. Residents were instructed to remain indoors during the search. However, authorities later discovered that Clark had likely fled the area before their arrival, as his vehicle was spotted in Salida, approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) away. This prompted a shelter-in-place order for Salida residents while authorities, aided by drones and a Denver police helicopter, continued their search for Clark.

It remains unclear whether Clark has legal representation who would provide a statement on his behalf. A phone message left for Clark’s attorney, who represented him in the easement lawsuit, went unanswered.

The shooting incident in rural Colorado is one of several recent mass shootings that have occurred across the United States.

In a separate incident on Monday night, four individuals were wounded when a gunman opened fire at a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio, before reportedly taking his own life, according to local police.

On Sunday, a Tennessee man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while evading authorities after a series of shootings that resulted in the deaths of four female relatives.

During a search following shootings at three different locations in Memphis, the body of 52-year-old Mavis Christian Jr. was discovered in his car. The Memphis Police Department confirmed that three women were killed, a teenage girl was critically wounded, and another teenage girl was found dead, sparking a widespread manhunt for Christian.

[Author Name] reporting from Helena, Montana.