In the winter of 2023, a fatal shooting shattered the quiet of a residence in the High Flume Canyon area, south of Durango, Colorado. On the afternoon of December 20th, law enforcement received a report of a shooting at a home on Rancho Durango Road. Inside, they found Randall Moon, a 53-year-old man, who had been shot and killed. At the time of the incident, two other individuals were present in the house.
The investigation into the death of Randall Moon soon focused on a man named
Justin Brown, who was 34 years old at the time. The relationship between Moon and Brown was described as tumultuous, with a history of conflicts between them. It was reported that there had been previous instances of Brown allegedly stealing from Moon. Though deputies were in contact with the shooter shortly after the incident, no immediate arrests were made in connection with the shooting itself.
Following the shooting, attention turned to Moon's possessions. Investigators warned Brown not to take any of Moon's property. However, two days after the fatal event, authorities were informed that Brown was in possession of Moon's 2021 Ford F-350 pickup truck. This led to his arrest on suspicion of motor vehicle theft. During the arrest, Brown admitted to having several of Moon's firearms but initially refused to disclose their location. The firearms were later found in a hotel room where Brown and his girlfriend were staying. While Brown was arrested on suspicion of motor vehicle theft, no formal charges were immediately filed in connection with the shooting death of Randall Moon as the investigation continued and evidence was sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for testing.
