Bonnie Young

Bonnie Young was a selfless and nurturing woman, a devoted wife to her husband, Ron, and the mother of two children. At 64 years old, the White female had built a life on her family's ranch outside Gardner, Colorado, fulfilling a lifelong dream with her husband. She dedicated herself to caring for her autistic daughter, Heidi, and was described by loved ones as a beautiful soul with a huge heart who selflessly touched her community with wisdom and grace.

On the afternoon of April 5, 2023, a dispute over trash escalated into a brutal act of violence that ended Bonnie’s life. Her next-door neighbor, 41-year-old David Freilino, had noticed that wind had blown some of his trash onto the Youngs' property. Despite the significant distance between their homes, he jumped a fence and approached Bonnie’s front door. She initially agreed to let him collect the trash within ten minutes, but Freilino soon became upset, realizing the task would take longer. Earlier that day, Bonnie had called her husband, expressing fear that her neighbor was “acting strange.” The day before the attack, sheriff's deputies had taken Freilino to a local hospital on an involuntary mental health hold for "bizarre" behavior, but he was released the same day.

When Freilino knocked on Bonnie’s door a second time, an argument began. According to what Freilino later told investigators, Bonnie told him to leave her property, pointed a gun at him, and then closed the door. Claiming he feared she would shoot him, Freilino kicked the door down, wrestled the gun from her hands, and pulled her outside. A physical struggle ensued, during which he used one of his own knives to stab her multiple times in the head, neck, and back until she was motionless. Freilino then went back inside her home, retrieved her gun, and shot her several times.

Bonnie’s husband, Ronald Young, grew concerned when he couldn't reach his wife by phone. Authorities were called to the home and discovered her body outside. Meanwhile, Freilino had returned to his own house, showered, and called 911, claiming he had shot his neighbor in self-defense. When officers arrived, they took Freilino into custody. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary and was held without bond.

In the legal proceedings that followed, Freilino’s defense raised questions about his mental competency, and he entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity in May 2025. His attorneys argued that he was not legally responsible for his actions because his mental illness prevented him from knowing right from wrong. The case went to trial, and on April 1, 2026, a 12-person jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes before finding David Freilino guilty on all counts, including first-degree murder.