Tag Archives: Custer County

Mass Shooting on Oak Creek Grade, Suspect(s) detained, awaiting extradition

Mass Shooting on Oak Creek Grade
Three Dead, One Wounded
Suspect Detained in N.M.

by George Gramlich

Three people were shot to death and one gravely wounded Monday, November 20, 2023 on Rocky Ridge Road, a private road on the west side of County Road 255 (Oak Creek Grade). Rocky Ridge Road is accessed off of Silver Circle which adjoins Oak Creek Grade at around the 8 mile marker.
Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith gave a press briefing outside the Sheriff’s Office at noon on Tuesday, November 21. The Sheriff stated that they received a 911 call around noon on the 20th that there were shots fired at the Rocky Ridge Road. Smith said that two deputies and the Custer County Coroner, Brad Baltzly, responded. The deputies treated the scene as a “high risk entry”. After a brief survey, assistance was requested and the entire CCSO deputy roster was called out. The Fremont County SWAT team was requested. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado State Police were also summoned.
Three deceased and one severely wounded person were found. The deceased were from two neighboring families. One person was able to flee the scene unharmed and gave the deputies information on the suspect, Hanme K. Clark who lived at the Rocky Ridge address along with his wife. A huge search of the area then ensued. The suspect was not found. The SO then focused on the suspect’s house and waited until they had obtained a warrant to enter and search the property. CBI assisted with the warrant request. The suspect was not in the house.
Smith noted that the shooting occurred in a wooded area near a “gravel road” and not on the suspect’s property.
Sheriff Smith said that there had been an ongoing property dispute between the suspect and the two neighbors. There was also a lawsuit in 2021 concerning the dispute. (Apparently the neighbors were traversing the suspect’s property to get to their own properties via an alleged easement. This appears to be at the core of the problem.)
During the search, drones, night vision and thermal imaging were employed.
Help from the U.S. Marshals was requested.
Sheriff Smith said that the suspect probably left the property before the deputies initially arrived.
An all clear was announced at 8 p.m. Monday night.
The crime scene was being processed by the CCSO, the CC Coroner and CBI.
The U.S. Marshals employed aerial assets traversing the crime scene up to Salida. The Sheriff said that they had a good tip on the whereabouts of the suspect. They believe he is in the Route 50 area around Poncha Springs. LEO from various jurisdictions are searching the area.
Smith said there is a warrant out for the arrest of Clark for three counts of first degree murder.
At the press conference, one news outlet said it was believed the suspect and his wife were Native Americans and asked if that was    part of the dispute, ie, discrimination. Smith said he could not comment on that.

Below is the Custer County Sheriff’s Office press release from November 20th:

PRESS RELEASE:

Monday, November 20, 2023: Westcliffe, CO:
Colorado Law Enforcement agencies are looking for Hanme K. Clark, who is wanted in connection with a shooting that took place mid-day Monday in Westcliffe, CO.
On Monday, November 20, 2023, at 12:59 p.m., the Custer County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to a report of shots fired on Rocky Ridge Road approximately eight miles North of Westcliffe, CO. At 13:22, Fremont County Sheriff’s SWAT reported on scene. Custer County Sheriff, Rich Smith, called for a shelter in place while they searched for the suspect.
The shooting occurred at 173 Rocky Ridge Road along the wooded property line. A property dispute is suspected as the cause of the incident. Four victims were shot. Three of the victims are deceased (two male, one female). An additional female victim is in critical condition and being treated in a trauma center.
At 21:10, Rich Smith, Custer County Sheriff, announced that the shelter in place for Custer County was lifted. Authorities are pursuing the suspect who is driving a white Ram 1500 pickup with a topper and Colorado license plate: BHLK27.
If you have any information to assist officials in the apprehension of Hanme K. Clark, call 911.

###

Press Release on November 21st.
Victims of November 20th Shooting Identified
Tuesday, November 21, 2023, Westcliffe, CO: The victims of Monday’s shooting in Westcliffe, Colorado have been identified by Custer County Coroner Brad Baltzly. The next of kin have been notified.
The three deceased victims are Rob Geers, Beth Wade, and James Daulton. The fourth victim, Patty Daulton, is being treated at a trauma center for her injuries.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Hanme K. Clark, who is still at large. State and Federal agencies are assisting with the search.

####

Editor: At our press time (early afternoon, Tuesday, November 21st), the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office has released a press statement stating that the suspect might be in the Salida area south of Salida from the Fremont County line to Poncha Springs (along Route 50). They have issued a shelter in place order for that area which ended Tuesday afternoon.
Clark was often seen at various events in Custer County. He was always very polite and soft spoken. Some research has indicated that he was a long time martial arts devotee including competing in MMA and studying the fighting art of Pancrase.
One report stated that there was a surveyor at the scene and he fled unhurt. But that remains to be verified.
(Please see the Custer County Sheriff’s Facebook page for immediate updates or see our Facebook or website, sangredecristosentinel.com for updates.)

UPDATE

The Custer County Sheriff sent out another press release on
late afternoon on November 21st that the suspect had been detained in N.M.

 

On Wednesday, a final press release gave more information on the victims. In a press conference, the Sheriff noted that the focus now
needs to be on the community and their loss.

 

 

Press Release

For Immediate Release

Shooting Suspect Arrested

November 21, 203, Westcliffe, CO: Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith received a call at 2:48pm today from US Marshall Kirk Taylor confirming that shooting suspect Hanme K Clark had been taken into custody near Albuquerque, by the New Mexico State Police and the US Marshalls. The suspect is awaiting extradition to Colorado.

Sheriff Smith requests that we turn the focus to the victims and their families.

The deceased are identified as Robert Geers, age 63, his wife Beth Wade Geers 73, and James Daulton 58. Patty Daulton survived and is being treated for her injuries at a trauma center.

If anyone is need of mental health support following this traumatic event please call the Westcliffe SolVista office at 719-783-0566.

###

For Immediate Release
Triple Homicide Arrest Update

Wednesday, November 22, 2023, WESTCLIFFE, CO:   1500 hrs

Nancy Rae Medina-Kochis is charged with accessory to a crime, pending the continuing investigation into the November 20, 2023, triple homicide in Westcliffe, CO. She and shooting suspect Hanme K. Clark are being held in New Mexico while awaiting extradition to Colorado.
For more information regarding this case please contact the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Canon City, CO.
###

 

Who is the Real Deb Adams: A Recap

by George Gramlich,
Commentary
We’ve been exposing the extreme, and we mean EXTREME, progressive, left wing positions of Custer County Commissioner candidate Deb Adams “unaffiliated” over the last eight weeks and as the election period is over next week we figured we should run an article summarizing some of the incredible political, social and moral views and beliefs of the Trojan horse candidate from Commiefornia and how she is completely unfit to be a county commissioner.
1. Adams thinks republicans are “fascists”: Remember Biden’s “most divisive speech” in American Presidential history earlier this year where Pedo Biden called republicans “fascists” and threats to democracy. Adams put a Foolbook post up about the speech and her comment on it was “Good speech”. The majority of voters in Happy Valley are republicans. In Adams Clown World, we are all fascists. Adams deleted the post after she declared her candidacy for commissioner. This is the level of her “transparency”.
2. Adams loves to “volunteer” and help non-profits and charities: Well, maybe not. She volunteered to help the Dark Skies folks back in 2020 for no money, but when the event they were working on was canceled, Adams demanded that she be paid $2,315 for all of her “hard work”. The Dark Skies folks told her to take a hike. Typical lib: it’s all about the money.
3. Adams embraces socialism like all good progressives do: Adams posted a anti-capitalism article by some nutcase on Foolbook a few years ago and commented “And there you have it..”. The article knocks capitalism and promotes crazy libtard socialism values, which, apparently sits well with the well-to-do Adams. Socialism is all about being ruled and controlled by an “elite” bunch of narcissistic know-it-all nut jobs which Adams seems to embrace. Yeah, that is going to work well with the us peasants here. Happy Valley to Adams: This ain’t Commiefornia.
4. Adams hates the 2nd Amendment and loves the Red Flag law: Adams posted a picture of a sign in front of some left wing “church” that said, “When Will They Love Their Kids More than Their Guns”. She commented, “Question of the Day! Great read..”. She also posted a cartoon on social media blaming the NRA for the mass casualty events that have happened over the last few years (mostly performed by leftists). Do you want Commiefornia gun laws here in Happy Valley? It can happen now that the red diaper babies in Denver now allow local government entities make their own gun laws. Several lib cities and counties in northern Colorado have already done so. DO YOU WANT THAT HERE? It only takes two bad commissioners to make that happen…..
5. Patriotism and Love of Country? What did you do after this year’s Independence Day Parade? Do you know what Adams did? She went to an “anti July 4th party” at one of her lib friend’s house here in the valley! Do you know what the featured food was there? Red, white and blue cookies in the shape of a hand giving the “finger” to something, that is, our country. They also discussed at the party that actual violence may be necessary to change the country as politics ain’t doing it for them. VIOLENCE! Like Antifa/Black
Panther type stuff. This party was described in the article by the huge internet news organization, Business Insider, that incredibly had a reporter there. The article was read by millions which didn’t make Custer County look so good. Adams is a CLASSIC, lib who hates this country and literally wants to destroy it. Do you want to see her at the commissioners’ table eating those hate cookies during a BOCC meeting? I wonder if she would even continue to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the meetings. How come she doesn’t bring some of the cookies to her campaign events? Transparency? Yeah…..
6. Adams is “unaffiliated”? Adams told an acquaintance that she was a lifelong democrat and that the only way to get elected here in red neck land is to run “unaffiliated”. She also proudly posted a meme on social media that read, “Voting is just like Driving, To Go Backward Choose ‘R’, to Go Forward Choose ‘D’”. This “unaffiliated” stance is flat out lying and deception by the “transparent” Adams. Every dem in Happy Valley is endorsing her plus a couple of RINO’s. The woman has a truth problem, folks. Again, again and again she tries to hide her true beliefs from us peasants. Do you want a person who is a habitual liar in office ruling us?
7. Adams hates republicans: In multiple social media posts (and other correspondence which we have but won’t print), Adams displays a special hatred for the republican party and all who vote republican. One of her favorite posts was a meme of an elephant spearing the image of the USA with its tusk. The caption was, “Boycott the Republican Party”. Very inclusive, Adams. Yeah, let’s all get along. Of course, these posts were deleted when she decided to run for office.
8. Adams on religion: Looks like Adams is not a big fan of our Judaic/Christian religions and values as she seems to want to worship the “earth” instead of God. Her social media post of a big tree and roots had the caption, “Nature Is My Religion And The Earth Is My Church”. Apparently no Bible for Adams. All she needs for moral reference is talking to a couple of Ponderosa trees for advice. Biblical based values are the core of our country. Adams
has none. So on what moral
and ethical basis will she make decisions on if she is a county commissioner? I don’t think we want to find out.
9. Adams Hates Trump with a passion that is scary: Adams has made multiple social media posts knocking Trump and her private speech is filled with anti republican and severe anti Trump rhetoric. (Note that she loves posting stories from CNN and MSNBC.) She commented on one post that Trump was, “A danger to the world”. Adams also had a post on Foolbook about a story titled, “How Did Hitler Rise to Power” and commented about it by saying, “Absolutely frightening how history is repeating itself here in America…” directly attacking Trump and his followers as the new “nazis”. Nice. Seems a fair number of libs in this county, in addition to Adams, like calling us non libs “nazis”. This folks, is pathological hate and it is sick stuff. We don’t need that in the courthouse.
Adams also failed to show up multiple times at the monthly Liberty Rocks community event at Tony’s Pizza where ALL people running for office were invited. In fact, she was the ONLY one not to show up. Guess she doesn’t want to be in the same room that might have non liberals there.
10. Potty Mouth Adams: Adams has a foul mouth that would shame a drunken sailor in Shanghai. Her media posts, that are available to anybody (including “the children”) are filled with the “f’ word– “f” this, “f” that. On and on. She especially loves the “f” word when talking about Trump. Her correspondence and private conversations are also extremely profanity laced. Remember, she is the head of the county’s Tourism Bureau! Do you want this kind of speech coming out of that office or the commissioner’s room? No lady talks like that. It is a disgrace.
11. Adams, a classic progressive, looks down at us “lowly”, ignorant peasants: Last week we featured a social media post by Adams titled, “The Dunning-Kruger Effect May Explain Trump’s Support”. This ignorant peasant had to look that up:
The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias whereby people with low ability, expertise, or experience regarding a certain type of a task or area of knowledge tend to overestimate their ability or knowledge.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is when a person does not have skills or ability in a specific area but sees themselves as fully equipped to give opinions or carry out tasks in that field, even though objective measures or people around them may disagree.
What Adams is saying here is that anybody who voted for Trump or just supports him, is “low ability” and we “overestimate” our “ability or knowledge”. Adams is basically saying the majority of voters in this county are dumber than rocks. (The other libs in the Valley believe this also. Adams is NOT alone here.) But, she wants our vote. This is classic liberalism where the libs, intellectual and moral giants that they are, need to RULE US PEASANTS as we are totally incapable of any rational thought or decision making ability. Adams wants to be the ruler of the Happy Valley Gulag where us peasants kowtow to progressive nutcase ideas (no gasoline cars/trucks, no outside lighting, FULL building codes, cow farts are destroying the
environment, mutilating our children, re: sex changes, is fine, wood stoves have got to go, more taxes for more giveaways and vote buying, you get the drift…) as we freeze to death in our houses.
We know we have been hard on Adams. The reason is she is flat out lying about her views and positions, hiding behind the
“unaffiliated” moniker and actually deleting/cleaning any
past record of her true pro-gressive views. If she had the character and honesty to run as a democrat or even if she had run “unaffiliated” but told us where she was politically, we could have respected that. But she is HIDING who she really is. Actually, she TRIED to hide who she really is but WE FOUND OUT and let the citizens of this free county find out.


Folks, vote for someone who is upfront and doesn’t try to hide his platform and truly understands our county: Vote for Canda.

Election Results: Custer County

Flower, Day Win Commissioner Seats.
Linda Stanley Takes DA Race,
Ron Hanks Dominates HD60

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
Well, some very interesting local election results in this high-stakes 2020 election.
In Custer County both write-in County Commissioner candidates failed to win with incumbent District 3 Commissioner Tom Flower defeating Lucas Epp by 1,733 to 1,185. Epp’s vote count was quite strong for a write-in candidate. Kevin Day handily defeated write-in candidate Lynn Attebery by 2,370 to 555 to win the District 2 Commissioner’s position. Continue reading Election Results: Custer County

New Director of Public Health

New Director of Public Health
Highly Qualified Health Care Professional

Clifford Brown

by Fred Hernandez
The moment you meet this highly qualified public servant you know you are meeting a true gentleman. Nattily dressed in a three-piece gray suit, button down white shirt perfectly starched, with a red and black tie, Dr. Clifford Brown comes across as a professional through and through. With a resume long enough to fill a small book, Clifford Brown, OD, MPH, FAAO(D), CAPT/US/HS (Ret) is obviously on top of his game.
No stranger to hardship he was born in Corvallis, Oregon, and raised in a shack in Washington State where the grocer, who was twenty-five mile away, kindly sent enough food to sustain the family until the harvest season. His dad was a member of the famous 3rd Army of Gen. George Patton and with his unit liberated four concentration camps in Germany during World War II. After the war, his father held a forty-eight hour a week job while going to university where he was taking nineteen units a semester until he collapsed from TB and was sent to a sanitarium. They were simple hard-working folks who never even owned a new car.
Clifford loved music and in his early youth and dreamed of becoming a band player (cornet and voice), an idea which took him to the Los Angeles area in California. Once he realized how tough the competition actually was, he changed gears, completing undergraduate and professional education and joined the U.S. Air Force under a scholarship program, serving four years during the Viet Nam conflict. Out of the Air Force he moved on to Canada for a time. From Canada, he was recruited by the U.S. Army to serve in the European theater (Germany) with a specialty team of pediatric professionals as a pediatric behavioral vision optometrist for the Exceptional Family Member Program. The team assessed children with special needs, then designed educational programs tailored to each child to assist special education teachers.
He served during Desert Shield and Desert Storm for three years as Deputy Chief of the eye clinic and Administrative Officer for the 2,000 bed hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. After that war he returned to the states and transferred into the U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps. stationed in Montana, where he served as Eye Clinic Chief of the Blackfeet, Pine Ridge, and Crow Agency Community Hospitals for the respective American Indian reservations. As a Senior Health Administrator and Operations Chief for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington D.C., Dr. Brown managed a variety of doctors and professionals who daily reviewed reports of disease outbreaks affecting humans, livestock, crops, and water resources. Eminently qualified for the position of Custer County Public Health Director, Dr. Brown brings forty seven years of professional health care service experience to his new job.
Not one to waste any time, Dr. Brown has already formed an Advisory Committee with whom he will consult on various matters concerning the public health of the county. The group he has assembled includes ranchers, law enforcement personnel, business owners, lawyers, pastors, and other citizens who represent a cross section of the population. The members of the committee will be available for advice and consultation at a moment’s notice. In fact, this committee will be operational immediately, possibly even this week.
With much experience from his military days Dr. Brown has taken a special interest in traumatic brain injury for veterans. Knowing Custer to be home to many veterans, he is working to unify and promote the general health of the veterans. When asked about his workdays, he states how much he enjoys what he does.
Today, Dr. Brown and his wife, Linda, make their home in Custer County. They share eight children most of whom are grown up and seventeen grandchildren. Linda has her Doctorate in Education and teaches educators who are seeking their MA at the University of Nebraska. She currently teaches remotely.
Dr. Clifford Brown, the newest addition to our local officials is a great asset to the community, and we offer him our heartfelt welcome to Custer County.

Molon Labe! Custer Becomes a 2nd Amendment County

Molon Labe!

Custer Becomes a 2nd Amendment County

Sangre de Cristo Sentinel
Updated 03/07/19

If the progressive liberal leaning legislators of Colorado think the LEGAL gun owners of Colorado are going to take their Red Flag Bill HB 19-1177, sitting down, THEY ARE WRONG. MOLON LABE ** (Come and get it) .

Custer County Board of Commissioners Meeting

–February 28, 2019

WESTCLIFFE, Colo.

by Jackie Bubis

It was standing room only on Thursday morning at the Custer County Courthouse as the Custer County Board of Commissioners met for their end of month meeting. Resolution 19-02, declaring Custer County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County, was up for discussion. All commissioners were present, Commissioner and Board Chair Tom Flower, Commissioner Bill Canda and Commissioner Jay Printz.

Continue reading Molon Labe! Custer Becomes a 2nd Amendment County

Colorado Goes Deep Blue, Custer Still Proudly Red

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary

There were no surprises in Custer County’s election results as all the local elected offices were decided in the Republican primaries early this year and ran unopposed. The only two local ballot issues were the School District Board “At-Large Plan” which was defeated 1286 to 1074 and the Wet Mountain Fire Protection District Mill Levy Increase which passed by a margin of 2284 to 1180.

Custer County and State Props  results (on our website)

With regards to the School Board issue, both sides had good arguments but the specter of a totally At-Large Board possibly being controlled by a very small interest group and the loss of geographical representation led to its defeat. Perhaps a better idea is to retain the current five regional board slots and add one or two at-large slots. We will see.

The Fire Mill Levy increase won quite handily despite the Fire District Board’s rather poor and late presentation of the reasons for the increase. The Wet Mountain Fire Protection District’s stellar reputation was, it seems, all that was needed. We think they will use the money wisely.

Of note is the percentage of Custer County voters voting Republican versus Democrat: Around 67% of Custer County residents voted for the Republican state and federal offices versus around 30% for the Democrats.

State wide, Colorado went deep, deep blue with Democrats winning most of the state races by hefty margins. The Democrats were slightly ahead in the vote count versus Republicans but, as expected, the unaffiliated voters broke hard left. With the Colorado State Senate finally going Democrat, the liberals will have a field day with our state. Thank goodness for TABOR. Hopefully, the liberals won’t forget the recalls of several Democrat House Representatives after they passed several unconstitutional gun restriction laws a few years ago.

Of note is that all the state bond issues re: borrowing money for roads or raising taxes for schools (yes, “for the children”), were defeated by respectable margins. Plus, the liberal anti-fracking measure, Proposition 112, went down in flames. What is interesting, is that politically, Colorado voted deep blue (Polis is as hard left as it comes), but fiscally, voted very conservative (no borrowing or tax increases, and no crazy save the planet anti-fracking stuff).

It is very possible, barring a fiscal/financial collapse, that Colorado will be become a solid blue state despite the majority of the counties voting Republican. The continued influx of liberals fleeing their own self-induced liberal state “paradises”, the seemingly endless influx of legal and illegal immigration, and the increasing dependency of more and more people on government handouts paints a bleak picture for our once proud, free state.

But one thing is for sure, folks, we will continue to fight here locally in Custer County to keep our County, Colorado, and America free from liberal tyranny. We have had many great successes locally the last few years, with many more to come.
Molon Labe, libs.

To see all Custer County unofficial election results,
go to http://custercountygov.com/index.php?pg=electionresults

To see all Fremont County unofficial election results,
go to https://fremontco.com/files/elections/results/Fremont4.pdf

Cuban Nationals Busted for Big Illegal Pot Grow

Custer County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO)
—October 2, 2018
Press Release
On Tuesday, October 2, 2018, Custer County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Colorado State Patrol, executed a search warrant on 1089 County Road 310 in rural Westcliffe on a suspected Illegal Marijuana Grow. The search resulted in the arrest of two Cuban Nationals, 35-year-old Serguey Recondo Palomino and 35-year-old Yenny Pena Hernandez. Continue reading Cuban Nationals Busted for Big Illegal Pot Grow

USDA Designates Custer County Primary Natural Disaster Area

USDA Designates Custer County
and Other Counties in Colorado as Primary Natural Disaster
Areas Due to Drought

Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC
— March 29, 2018
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Bent, Custer, Huerfano and Prowers Counties in Colorado as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought.
Farmers and ranchers in the following contiguous counties in Colorado also qualify for natural disaster assistance. Those counties are: Alamosa, Baca, Costilla, Fremont, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Pueblo and Saguache.
Farmers and ranchers in the contiguous counties of Greeley, Hamilton and Stanton in Kansas also qualify for natural disaster assistance. Continue reading USDA Designates Custer County Primary Natural Disaster Area

“Patients First” Reform Slate Running for Clinic Board

by George Gramlich
The troubled West Custer County Hospital District (aka “Clinic”) is having an unusual election come May 8th: All five Board of Directors positions are up for election. The five current Board members, Bob Tobin, Ann Evans, Janny Candelaria, Bob Weisenbach and Katherine Ripley-Williams have all indicated that they are running for re-election.
In an interesting twist, a group of local citizens concerned with the chronically poor performance of the Clinic and the never-ending management issues have banded together to form a reform slate and are running a team of five new candidates for the Board, dubbed the “Patients First” team.

The Patients First Team consists of Mike Haga, Mike Kienbusch,
David Brothers, Ann Barthrop and Larry Luikart. Their intent is to change the orientation of the Clinic’s efforts to a “Patients First” priority with a reform platform (noted below). Continue reading “Patients First” Reform Slate Running for Clinic Board