LOVELAND, Colo. — A young woman with her whole life ahead of her — gone in the blink of an eye.
Weld County Deputy Alexis Hein-Nutz, 24, was remembered during a funeral service Saturday at Foundations Church in Loveland. She was killed in a hit-and-run crash last Sunday, a week before her 25th birthday.
The day began with a law enforcement procession from the Weld County Jail in Greeley to the church. Many law enforcement agencies participated and people lined the streets to honor her.
"My heart is broken. It was such an unnecessary loss to the community and such a huge, huge loss to the community," said David Cross, who stopped by to pay his respects. "It meant a lot because I know what it's like to lose a child, a young child, and my heart goes out to the family, to friends and to all of the community."
During the service, the fallen deputy’s family and members of the Weld County Sheriff’s Office spoke about the 24-year-old’s life, saying she was career-driven and wanted to be sheriff of Weld County one day.
“In our law enforcement world, we talk a lot about family. Alexis took great pride in being part of the Weld County Sheriff's Office family,” Weld County Deputy Andy Wilson said. “Alexis is my partner. She was my gift from God and my dearest friend.”
Wilson said Deputy Hein-Nutz, who worked as a detention officer at the Weld County Jail, was a professional, goal-oriented member of the office, but remained a free spirit who loved the movie "Lilo & Stitch."
“Under the exterior, beats a free spirit,” he said. “Her family taught her, told her that honesty is your best asset.”
On Sept. 18, Deputy Hein-Nutz was riding her motorcycle on her way to work southbound on Weld County Road 37 when a driver in a minivan, who was westbound on AA Street, hit her, the Weld County Sheriff's Office said. The suspect then fled into a cornfield. He was arrested Monday evening in Fort Collins.
She joined the sheriff's office in November 2018. One month after graduating from the jail academy to become a detentions deputy, she wrote an excited post on Facebook, according to Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams. He said the post read, “After many years of dreaming of being in law enforcement, I can finally say I am officially following my dreams. This is only the first stepping-stone to a brighter future. Here is to a better life and doing what I was meant to do."
Following the funeral, her remains will be brought to her hometown of Bismarck, North Dakota for a private burial.
