GREELEY, Colo. — Prosecutors say a fatal crash that initially appeared routine was anything but, ultimately leading to an arrest and a murder investigation.
That investigation led police to 29-year-old Justin De Nileon Jr., who was charged with first-degree murder Wednesday in the alleged killing of his girlfriend, 28-year-old Haley Rippetoe, outside her crashed car in Weld County last month.
De Nileon was arrested in the early morning hours of June 21 after he was found hiding, wearing bloodied clothes, in the backyard of his parents’ Commerce City home.
His arrest came just hours after he allegedly caused a head-on collision with Rippetoe’s vehicle and then killed her after she survived the crash, according to prosecutors.
According to an affidavit, De Nileon had followed Rippetoe from her workplace to the location where the crash occurred near the intersection of Weld County Road 7 and Weld County Road 6 in Erie.
Erie police responded to a crash around 1 a.m. and discovered Rippetoe dead outside her vehicle.
Investigators later determined that the blood evidence at the scene was not consistent with a traffic crash or with someone being ejected from a vehicle, according to a release from the 19th Judicial District.
An autopsy found that Rippetoe suffered multiple sharp force injuries to her torso, neck, and head, which were not consistent with a car crash but rather with deliberate violence. Her death was ruled a homicide.
At the crash scene, investigators found signs of intentional damage to the victim’s driver’s side window and Rippetoe’s seatbelt, which was buckled and cut at the top of the shoulder belt, suggesting someone tried to access the vehicle after the crash.
The victim’s vehicle was found upright down an embankment on the side of the road. But authorities say the vehicle's final resting position was only part of the story.
The affidavit states that the evidence shows Rippetoe’s vehicle rolled onto its roof during the initial collision and then was struck a second time, causing it to roll back onto its tires.
Investigators concluded that De Nileon intentionally caused the crash and then inflicted fatal injuries on Rippetoe, according to the affidavit.
Prosecutors said De Nileon has a long history of violence toward the victim. He was arrested in May for kidnapping, felony menacing, and assault against Rippetoe.
Family members described what they say were longstanding signs of abuse.
In the affidavit, the victim’s sister told investigators she used to live with the couple and overheard De Nileon shoving Rippetoe on several occasions.
She also told police that she observed bruises on a child after visits with the suspect.
The victim’s sister also explained that Rippetoe had previously tried to leave the suspect but was threatened into returning, according to the affidavit.
