In the quiet, rural community of Westcliffe, Colorado, a long-simmering dispute over a property line erupted into violence on November 20, 2023, ending the life of 73-year-old Beth Wade Geers. A white female, Geers was a beloved member of her family, known for her love of nature, gardening, and her devotion to her children and grandchildren. Her life, intertwined with that of her husband, Robert 'Rob' Geers, came to a tragic end on their own land near Rocky Ridge Road.
The conflict had
been escalating for some time, with the Geers and their neighbors, James and Patty Daulton, embroiled in a legal battle with Hanme Clark over an easement. The Geers had reported multiple trespassing incidents by Clark and had expressed concerns for their safety. On that fateful November day, the dispute reached its breaking point. Clark allegedly opened fire on the Geers and the Daultons, who were on the Geers' property at the time. Beth Wade Geers, her 63-year-old husband Rob, and 58-year-old James Daulton were all fatally shot. Patty Daulton was critically injured but survived. A fifth person who was present managed to escape unharmed and alert authorities.
Following the shooting, a manhunt was initiated for Hanme Clark, who had fled the scene. The search prompted a shelter-in-place order for the local community as law enforcement from multiple agencies scoured the area. The day after the shooting, Clark was apprehended in New Mexico during a high-risk traffic stop. He was arrested without incident and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. His girlfriend, Nancy Rae Medina-Kochis, who was with him at the time of his arrest, was also taken into custody and charged with being an accessory to the crime. Both were held in New Mexico awaiting extradition to Colorado to face the charges stemming from the deadly confrontation in Westcliffe.
