In the quiet, rural landscape of Westcliffe, Colorado, a long-simmering property dispute violently erupted on November 20, 2023, claiming the life of 58-year-old James Daulton and two of his neighbors. Daulton, a White male, was tragically shot and killed in an incident that also took the lives of Rob Geers, 63, and his wife, Beth Wade, 73. The serene mountain setting became the backdrop for a devastating act of violence that stemmed from a contentious disagreement over an easement.
On
that Monday afternoon, a surveyor was present at a property near Daulton's, working to delineate property lines in an attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute. It was then that a neighbor, identified as Hanme K. Clark, 45, allegedly approached, yelling about trespassing before opening fire. The surveyor managed to escape unharmed and alert authorities. James Daulton's wife, Patty Daulton, was also shot and critically injured during the attack but was able to call 911, reporting that she believed her husband and two others had been fatally wounded.
Following the shooting, a manhunt for the suspect ensued. Hanme K. Clark and his girlfriend, Nancy Medina-Kochis, were spotted at a Walmart in Salida, Colorado, before fleeing the state. The following day, on November 21, 2023, law enforcement, including the New Mexico State Police and U.S. Marshals, apprehended the pair near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Clark now faces multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree murder. Medina-Kochis was also arrested and has been charged as an accessory to the crime.
Court records indicate a history of escalating tensions and harassment between Clark and his neighbors, including the Daultons and the Geers, over access to a gravel road on Clark's property. This tragic event underscores the devastating consequences of an unresolved neighborhood conflict that ultimately led to the loss of three lives and left a community in mourning. Patty Daulton, despite her severe injuries, is expected to survive the ordeal.
