The Oak Creek Grade Tragedy: Multiple Deaths Over an Easement Dispute

CCSO and Coroner/Asst. Coroner First to Arrive
at Active Shooter Scene

by George Gramlich

11/29/23

How the tragedy of November 20, 2023, came about will take time to fully figure out, but the fact that three people were killed and one gravely wounded over an easement/property lines dispute is a sobering statement on the state of our society today. This occurred in an extremely rural, mountainous area of Custer County where there is plenty of room for all living there.
The Sentinel has obtained the Arrest Warrant for the alleged killer, Hanme K. Clark, 45 years old. It is reproduced below. It shows a long-term dispute between some neighbors on Rocky Ridge Road, off of Oak Creek Grade (CR 255) around the eight mile marker. The dispute appears to have finally sent the alleged killer, over the edge, resulting in the attack.
Our prayers for all involved. The deceased were Rob and Beth Geer and James Daulton. The wounded person was Patty Daulton. All were neighbors of the alleged killer. Mrs. Daulton is in a hospital in Colorado Springs. She is expected to survive.
The alleged killer, with his girlfriend, Nancy Medina Cochis, were captured in New Mexico the day after the shooting. Cochis was arrested as an accessory.
The property Clark and Cochis live on is owned by a nonprofit corporation called Herbal Gardens Wellness, which, according to its website, provides therapy to people suffering from PTSD.
Herbal Gardens Wellness filed a lawsuit in 2020 against several neighbors alleging that the neighbors did not have the right to use an easement over Herbal Gardens property that was established in 2016. There were allegations that the neighbors were harassing Clark and Cochis because they are Native Americans. It was alleged that Herbal Wellness put locked gates at the entrances to the easement. (It appears that the easement is simply a “short cut” to get to certain neighbors’ properties on Rocky Ridge. There is a subdivision road that is the normal access path for all properties.) Herbal Gardens lost that lawsuit with the judge ruling the easement was valid. The court ordered Herbal Gardens to pay the neighbors around $9,000.
An “armed trespass complaint” was filed by the Geers on November 11, 2023.
The Custer County Sheriff’s Office has sent deputies to the property multiple times with regards to the easement, property lines and trespassing issues.
The Initial Contact
Upon receiving the 911 call, on duty at the Custer County Sheriff’s Office were Sheriff Rich Smith and Sergeant Jason Sabalto. Also hearing the 911 call, Custer Count Coroner Brad Baltzly volunteered to assist (along with the Assistant Coroner, Nikita Phillips.) (Note that in Colorado, the Coroner is considered the 2nd highest LEO in the county. The Assistant Coroner is also considered LEO.) Sheriff Smith also requested assistance from Fremont County and the Colorado State Patrol. All off duty Custer County deputies were told to come. ( And all did. Except for one on vacation.)
Smith, Sabalto,  Baltzly and Phillips were the first on the scene. The four stopped at the intersection of CR 255 and Silver Circle and prepared (rifles, body armor, etc.) They then drove down a short distance to Rocky Ridge Rd. and dismounted.
They then tactically proceeded down the road and entered the first “road” on their right which was the driveway of the Geers. After a short approach they observed the bodies and the alive Mrs Daulton. Not knowing if the shooter was still in the area, they covered their actions via their weapons. Mrs. Daulton was then recovered, placed on a stretcher, and the whole team retreated back up the driveway and then to the road. EMS was there with ambulances.
The Fremont County SWAT team (and other LEO) then proceeded to search the area for the shooter. This took a long time. It was extremely cold. It was dark (around 8 p.m.) when the search was completed.
Kudos to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office’s Sheriff Smith and Sergeant Sabalto, and especially to our Coroner Brad Baltzly and Assistant Coroner Nikita Phillips for their bravery in entering an active shooter scenario with no backup at the time. (It was a very, very brave thing to do. Thanks from all of us.)
(Unconfirmed sources indicate that the weapon used by the killer was a pistol.)
Below is the body of the Arrest Warrant. Note that the Warrant spells the Geer’s last name wrong.

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The Custer County Sheriff’s Office November 20, 2023 Arrest Warrant for Hanme Clark:
The following Affidavit is submitted to the Court to document the probable cause in support of a request for the issuance of an Arrest Warrant for: Hanme Kim Clark, DOB: 10/28/1978
This offense is fully documented in CCSO Case# 23-0681 detailing the offense(s) of:
§ 18-3-102 Murder in the first degree x 3, F1
§ 18-2-101 Criminal attempt
§ 18-3-102 Attempted Murder in the first degree, F2
§ 18-3-202 (1)(a) Assault in the first degree, F3
With the victim(s) identified as: Patty Daulton, D.O.B: 3.7.1967
3 Other adult victims pending identification.
Your affiant is Detective Sergeant Robinson, Elizabeth with the Custer County Sheriff’s Office and currently assigned to the Patrol and Investigations Division and has served in that capacity since 2023. I do hereby state under oath that I have personal knowledge of the following facts:
On November 20, 2023, at approximately 1300 hours, FreCom Dispatch (FreCom) received a 911 call with the reporting party, later identified as Patty Daulton of 415 Rocky Ridge Rd, Westcliffe, CO, stating that four people had been shot. The suspect was approximately 6 feet tall, wore glasses, and had black hair. Dispatch could hear shots being fired during the 911 call. RP stated she thought her husband was dead in addition to two other people. Mrs. Daulton was evacuated from the scene, which was determined to be in the area of 173 Rocky Ridge Rd adjacent to 165 Rocky Ridge Rd Westcliffe, CO, and taken to the Parkview Hospital in Pueblo, Colorado.
Your affiant was able to speak with a surveyor, William Dechaver (DOB 10-29- 1974) who was on scene when the shooting occurred. William explained that he was assisting with surveying of an address in the area he believed to be Lot 33a when the shooting began, he was unsure of the address and stated the paperwork to confirm it was in his truck which is still on scene.
William went on to state that he was with the homeowner Robert Greer (possible spelling). A male approached them, yelling about trespassing. Robert called the male Hamne by name, and William believed Robert to be recording a video of the interaction as the shooting commenced. William described Hamne as wearing what he believed to be a forest green shirt and pants, and possibly a forest green vest or jacket. William explained that when Hanme started shooting, he turned around and ran eastbound for approximately a half mile getting to a neighbor’s house, whom he did not know. William described the home as having 4 sisters who lived there who allowed him to use the phone and
call 911.
William stated that he knew the neighbor although not by name to live directly west of the property he was working on. It should be noted that your affiant knows, Hanme Clark (DOB 10-28-1978) resides at 165 Rocky Ridge Rd, Westcliffe Rd and has recently involved in numerous neighbor disputes over property line disputes.
Your affiant is aware there have been numerous previous property disputes with Herbal Gardens & Wellness (165 Rocky Ridge Rd) which is the property adjacent to the scene. In CCSO case 23-0643 reported on 11.17.2023 on an armed trespass complaint was called in by Robert Greer (DOB 08-12-1960) at 173 Rocky Ridge Rd which occurred on 11.16.2023. Mr. Greer sent pictures from a covert camera he placed on his property to Sheriff Smith of a male in hunting gear, his face was covered, and he was 
carrying a rifle. Mr. Greer was adamant that the male in the photos was Hanme Clark. Mr. Greer complained that it was the 4th time Hanme had trespassed on his property. He also claimed that Hanme and Nancy (LKU) had decided to target him and his wife with harassment and trespassing and showed concern about a weapon being involved.
Your affiant was made aware that Sheriff Lloyd Smith, whom is a certified EMT, along with the Coroner Brad Baltzly, was able to arrive to where the descendants, were located earlier in the day. Visible confirmation was made that the parties were, in fact, deceased. The top photo in the search warrant appears to be a male. In the bottom photo the person in the green jacket and jeans appears to be a female and the third person appears to be a male. Photos were taken as represented below in addition to the approximate location they were taken based on Evidence.com. Due to the suspect house being uphill and having a direct line of sight the decision to vacate the area was made due to officer safety concerns.
Your affiant was made aware that at approximately 2120 hours, Agent Garcia spoke with Salida Police Department (SPD) Officer Dakoda Defurio. Officer Defurio advised that he was made aware of a License Plate Reader (LPR) alert on a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 bearing Colorado plate BHLK27 at approximately 1510 hours near the south entrance of the Salida Walmart Store. An attempt to locate was placed on the vehicle earlier as it registered to Hanme Clark. Officer Defurio contacted Walmart security staff and was able to view surveillance video. The truck parked in the parking lot and a female who was unmasked enters the store Walmart employees at the time of this are still working on tracking down the receipt for the purchase made by the female. Officer Defurio explains that it appears she purchased pillows and possibly some cold weather clothing.
The female can be seen returning to the vehicle in the parking lot and appears to be communicating with someone in the vehicle out of view, while loading the purchases into the vehicle. The female then returns into the store this time wearing a mask on her face, in what appears to be an attempt to disguise her identity. What appears to me a male who cannot be identified exits the vehicle with a dog and walks around the vehicle briefly, then re-enters the vehicle. The female is seen returning to the vehicle and entering the passenger seat of the truck which then shortly after at approximately 1559 hours, exits the parking lot traveling south. The truck is observed traveling south-bound on County Road 111.
On 11.20.23 Your Affiant reviewed body camera footage recorded by Deputy Thurston’s body camera of a civil call in the area of 165 Rocky Ridge Road from 11.19.2023. The footage was a conversation with Nancy Medina-Kochis (D.O.B 01.02.1973) of 13078 Zuni Rd in Hartsel, Colorado, whom is the suspected girlfriend of Hanme Clark and possible resident at the 165 Rocky Ridge Road residence. Nancy spoke with Deputy Thurston and seemed to be versed on the ongoing property line dispute.
After reviewing the body camera footage and the surveillance footage from WalMart in Salida the female from both recordings appear to be the same person with the same clothing.
On November 20, 2023, your affiant authored and was granted a search warrant for 165 Rocky Ridge Road. At approximately 2001 hours, CCSO Deputies executed the search warrant in search of Hanme Clark. Hanme nor any individuals were located in the residence. The aforementioned Dodge Ram was not located on the property. The decision was made to hold the residence and further process it for evidence in the morning.
I would respectfully request that probable cause be found that Hanme Kim Clark, DOB: 10/28/1978, did within the County of Custer and State of Colorado, commit in violation of the Colorado Revised Statutes, as amended, the offense(s) of:
§ 18-3-102 Murder in the first degree x 3
§ 18-2-101 Criminal attempt
§ 18-3-102 Attempted Murder in the first degree
§ 18-3-202 (1)(a) Assault in the first degree
/s/ Det. Sgt. Elizabeth Robinson Applicant: Det Sgt Robinson, Elizabeth
Sworn and subscribed before me by telephone November 20, 2023.