On a spring afternoon in Gardner, Colorado, a dispute over trash between neighbors escalated into a tragic and violent encounter that ended the life of 64-year-old Bonnie Young. The incident unfolded on April 5, 2023, at her home in Huerfano County. Her next-door neighbor, 41-year-old David Freilino, had gone onto the Youngs' property to collect trash that had blown over from his land.
Though the houses were separated by a significant distance, Freilino approached Bonnie's home.
An argument ensued after an initial agreement for Freilino to pick up the trash within ten minutes proved insufficient for the task. When Freilino knocked on her door a second time, Bonnie told him to leave, pointed a gun at him, and shut the door. Freilino later told investigators he feared she would shoot him, so he kicked down the door, disarmed her, and pulled her outside. A physical struggle followed, during which Freilino stabbed Bonnie multiple times in the head, neck, and back with one of his knives until she was motionless. He then went inside her house, retrieved her gun, and shot her multiple times. Earlier that day, Bonnie had called her husband, Ronald Young, expressing fear and stating that their neighbor was 'acting strange.'
Law enforcement was called to the scene after Ronald Young was unable to reach his wife. They discovered Bonnie's body outside the home. Freilino had returned to his own home, showered, and then 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 is being held without bond. In the legal proceedings that followed, Freilino's defense has raised issues regarding his mental competency and has entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
