In the late summer of 2025, the community of Brighton, Colorado, was unsettled by the grim discovery of 32-year-old Keeley Koff. On the morning of August 29th, police responded to a report of an abandoned pickup truck left on a quiet residential street in the 200 block of North 6th Avenue. Inside the stolen vehicle, they found the body of the young woman, who was approximately 14 weeks pregnant.
An initial investigation revealed she had sustained what appeared to be fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on a primary suspect: 50-year-old James 'Jaime' Benavidez. As it turned out, Benavidez was already in police custody. He had been arrested just the day before Koff's body was found, following a chaotic crime spree that included an attempted carjacking at a gas station, the theft of another vehicle, and a high-speed pursuit during which he fired shots at pursuing officers. Authorities learned that Koff and Benavidez were acquainted, and her mother later confirmed that her daughter had been staying with him in the very truck where her life tragically ended. Surveillance footage later showed Benavidez abandoning the pickup truck in the early morning hours of August 28, hours before his string of violent crimes began.
With Benavidez already incarcerated, detectives connected him to Koff's death. He subsequently faced a litany of charges, including first-degree murder and unlawful termination of pregnancy, in addition to the charges stemming from his crime spree, such as the attempted homicide of several police officers. Reports indicated Benavidez had a long and troubled history with law enforcement, with dozens of prior arrests and multiple prison sentences. The case painted a grim picture of a violent series of events that culminated in the loss of a young woman and her unborn child.
