Two of 4 defendants sentenced in case of woman killed at Boulder Co. trailhead

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Two defendants had been sentenced on Thursday afternoon after that they had pleaded responsible to accent expenses in reference to the homicide of a girl at a Boulder County trailhead in the summertime of 2022.

The 2 individuals sentenced Thursday, Elizabeth Nicole Griffin, 24, and Ashley Lynn Provine, 19, had a joint sentencing listening to in a Boulder County courtroom in entrance of Decide Nancy Salomone.

Griffin was sentenced to 4 years probation after pleading responsible to felony tampering with bodily proof and felony accent to a criminal offense in June. Afterward, Provine was sentenced to 4 years in jail after she had pleaded responsible to 2 felony counts of accent to a criminal offense and felony tampering with bodily proof in August.

Griffin and Provine, together with two others, had been arrested in late July 2022 and early August 2022 in reference to the dying of Alexis Alyssa Baca, 25, whose physique was discovered close to the Realization Level trailhead in Boulder County, which is alongside the 3400 block of Flagstaff Highway, on the morning of July 24, 2022.

The opposite two defendants had been recognized as Jaime Alonso Moore and Cody Lee Hobirk.

Based mostly on an arrest affidavit, when deputies arrived on the trailhead on the morning of July 24, 2022, it was clear Baca was deceased and had a bullet wound above her left ear. The police investigation discovered that the group all knew one another. On the night of July 23, they drove in two separate vehicles to the Boulder trailhead, in response to the affidavit. The suspect accused of fatally taking pictures Baca — Moore — mentioned she fired at him first, and that his fiancée Provine, pal Hobirk, and pal’s girlfriend Griffin helped him cowl up the murder.

The investigation led authorities to Las Cruces, New Mexico, which is a few 10-and-a-half-hour drive south of Boulder. After interviews and amassing proof — with the assistance of the Las Cruces Police Division — the 4 suspects had been recognized. They’re all residents of Las Cruces. Baca was additionally a resident of the town.

In response to the affidavit, in a police interview, Provine advised police she, Moore and Hobirk had pushed as much as Colorado from New Mexico to assist Baca, who knew each males. Provine mentioned Baca had referred to as Hobirk for assist returning to New Mexico. Provine mentioned after they reached the Boulder County trailhead the evening of the taking pictures, Moore advised her and Griffin to take an extended stroll, which they did. She mentioned after they returned, Baca was gone, in response to the affidavit.

In an interview with detectives following his arrest, Moore overtly admitted he had shot and killed Baca, the affidavit reads. Moore and Hobirk allegedly tried to get her physique out of the automobile — they each bought her blood on them — and put her on the hillside close to the trailhead, the place she was discovered the next morning. Provine and Griffin helped throw away gadgets from contained in the automobile and wiped down door handles, the affidavit reads.

The group then fled to New Mexico, tossing the 2 firearms into the wilderness in random locations, the affidavit reads. The FBI was concerned within the investigation.

Each Griffin and Provine pleaded responsible to expenses towards them in 2023.

The place the place Baca was murdered now has a memorial, because of Baca’s household.

In courtroom Thursday, Baca’s father and mom each spoke. Her father, Alex Baca, mentioned he has forgiven the defendants however hopes they consider Baca not with the ability to see her daughter once more. He added that after they’ve completed their time, they’re higher individuals than they’re now. Baca’s mom, Margo Gallegos, mentioned she needs justice for her daughter and the utmost sentence potential.

“They don’t know the way painful it’s and what they’ve completed to my daughter and to her daughter’s life,” she mentioned. “They took my solely little one away from me. And I’ll by no means ever have my daughter in my life once more.”

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Decide Salomone took up Griffin’s case first.

Catrina Weigel with the Boulder County District Lawyer’s Workplace began her sentencing argument by stating that Baca was a mom and had individuals in her life who beloved her. No one deserves to be shot within the head and left on the aspect of the street, she mentioned. Weigel mentioned police reached a standstill early on within the investigation as a result of Baca didn’t have any identification on her, however they had been in the end capable of be taught who she was and tracked down suspects.

Weigel mentioned the 2 defendants at Thursday’s sentencing didn’t actively homicide Baca, however performed a task as an adjunct. On the trailhead, after Moore despatched the ladies away, they returned to see that Baca was gone and her automobile was lined in blood, Weigel mentioned, including that there was little doubt what had occurred. The group then began planning to cowl up the crime, she mentioned. She added that they stole Baca’s baggage, purse and different belongings. A few of it was thrown away.

Weigel mentioned after the homicide, the 2 males returned to the crime scene whereas Griffin and Provine had been left alone in a lodge room. She questioned why they did not attempt to alert anyone or name police. As an alternative, the group cleaned the automobile at a carwash, although she famous Griffin was not closely concerned on this. Afterward, they drove across the state, took pictures after which returned to Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Griffin was “the least” culpable of the group, Weigel mentioned. She requested for 3 years within the Colorado Division of Corrections.

Lawyer Ryan Markus with the protection mentioned Griffin has been a mannequin inmate in custody, taking lessons and appearing as a mentor for her pod. She is able to construct a life away from medication, he mentioned.

Markus additionally learn a letter from Griffin’s brother, which detailed their upbringing. He defined that she was dwelling in a automobile as younger as 5 years outdated. She was abused by stepdads and when she sought assist from her mom, she watched her spiral right into a world of alcohol and medicines because the household fell into poverty. Griffin didn’t obtain remedy or counseling, and even love or affection, her brother mentioned within the letter. When she was 10 years outdated, her older sister shot her up with medication towards her will, the brother mentioned. Griffin dropped out of faculty in ninth grade to turn into a caretaker. And years later, when her youthful brother enrolled within the ROTC, he was shot to dying in his mattress — a homicide that continues to be unsolved. So, she turned to the one coping mechanism she knew: medication. She was dwelling with an older man who “was spoon-feeding her fentanyl,” the brother mentioned.

He mentioned Griffin was excessive for a lot of the journey to Colorado and looking out again now, she feels quite a lot of guilt about what occurred.

Griffin additionally spoke to the courtroom briefly, saying she was sorry for her actions. She promised to avoid individuals who use medication and to stay sober, explaining that she now hopes to stop comparable conditions from taking place to different individuals.

Decide Salomone then sentenced her to 4 years of probation as a result of, along with the plea, she believed Griffin wanted stabilization and therapy.

The decide then moved onto Provine’s case.

She confirmed that Provine had pleaded responsible to the costs towards her with out a plea cut price and had requested a jail sentence.

Weigel with the prosecution mentioned their sentencing argument for Provine was 5 years.

Provine had been dwelling with Moore, who she was in a relationship with, on the time of the crime. Weigel argued that as a result of Moore was the one who deliberate the journey to Colorado, Provine doubtless had perception into what was going to occur. She additionally bought gloves from Walmart that had been in the end used within the homicide.

Following the homicide, Provine was seen extensively cleansing Baca’s automobile on the automobile wash with Moore and Hobirk. Even so, Weigel mentioned when police bought ahold of the automobile, they discovered blood and mind matter inside.

Provine’s legal professional, Janene Mccabe, confused that the connection between Provine and Moore began when she was simply 15 years outdated and that she was preyed upon. Moore was a pastor at their native church and members raised the alarm when he appeared solely concerned about hanging out with the younger teenage women, Mccabe mentioned. However Moore noticed that Provine’s household lacked a father determine and he stepped into the function, serving to with errands, offering cash and doing chores. Provine and Moore slowly fell right into a relationship and, when she turned 18 in January 2022, she moved into his RV, which was parked on the property of a storage he labored out of, Mccabe mentioned.

She discovered herself unable to make her personal selections. After she graduated from highschool, she give up her job to work for Moore. She thought it was love, Mccabe mentioned.

Baca was killed about seven months later.

Mccabe mentioned Provine didn’t inform police concerning the taking pictures as a result of she feared no one would love her. She protected Moore in “a horrible sense of loyalty,” Mccabe mentioned.

Since her arrest, Provine has labored to turn into a greater particular person within the county jail, the place she finally realized the connection was poisonous. When requested why she requested time in jail for the costs towards her, she mentioned she believes she deserves to be punished, Mccabe mentioned. She hopes to finish that sentence after which get her life again on observe. She is destroyed by the truth that she was a part of this crime, she mentioned.

Like Griffin, Provine additionally addressed the courtroom.

She remembers assembly Moore, how he grew into her household and the way she slowly started counting on him. She mentioned she did not consider the information of the connection till she was in jail.

“It hurts figuring out Moore was utterly conscious of his actions and took benefit of me,” she mentioned.

Provine mentioned she feels responsible and ashamed for attempting to run away from the crimes.

“I’m solely human and I used to be scared,” she mentioned. “I used to be defending the particular person my life relied on.”

She mentioned she is aware of pleading responsible to a few felony expenses will affect her future. Decide Salomone sentenced her to 4 years within the Colorado Division of Corrections.

In response to courtroom paperwork, a jury trial for Moore’s case will start on Dec. 4.

Hobirk’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2024. He pleaded responsible to second-degree homicide.