On the night of September 23, 2025, a fatal encounter unfolded on a stretch of U.S. Highway 24 just south of Leadville, Colorado, ending the life of 40-year-old Landon Levell Mentink. An adult white male, Mentink was a Navy veteran who had served multiple tours during the Iraq War era. That evening, what began as a road-rage incident between two drivers escalated with tragic finality.
Around 10 p.m., deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 13200 block of the highway following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Landon Mentink at the scene, deceased from gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the identification and arrest of a suspect later that same night. Robert Price Chase, a 31-year-old resident of Leadville, was taken into custody and booked into the Lake County Detention facility. Authorities have stated that the violent altercation stemmed from the road-rage incident that escalated to the point where Chase allegedly shot Mentink. Chase was subsequently charged with second-degree murder.
In the aftermath of the incident, details emerged from a probable-cause statement where Chase claimed that the other driver, Mentink, had grabbed and threatened him prior to the shooting. Despite this claim, investigators proceeded with the second-degree murder charge against Chase. He made his initial court appearance where his bond was set at $100,000. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation, along with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, are continuing to investigate the fatal shooting. No other suspects have been announced in connection with the case. Memorial notices remembered Landon Mentink for his military service and his life in the mountains he called home, with plans for military honors to be held in Leadville.
