In the quiet of a suburban morning in Englewood, Colorado, on March 30, 2023, the life of Tracy Lee Bloch Lechner, a 42-year-old female, was tragically cut short. A respected attorney and devoted mother of two young children, she was found deceased in the driveway of her home with gunshot wounds. The day that was meant to mark a new chapter in her life, the finalization of her divorce, instead became her last.
The man responsible for her death was her estranged husband, David Samuel
Lechner, who was 45 at the time. He fled the scene after the shooting but was apprehended by police a short distance away after a witness, who saw the horrific event unfold, attempted to intervene by ramming his own vehicle into Lechner's to prevent his escape. A witness reported seeing David Lechner shoot his wife in the face at point-blank range as she lay on the ground.
David Lechner was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, menacing with a gun, and domestic violence. During the investigation and subsequent trial, it was revealed that the murder was a premeditated act. Evidence showed that he had meticulously planned the attack, purchasing a getaway car under a false name, a GPS tracking device, and a 'go bag' containing cash and a passport. He had also acquired a stun gun, which he used to incapacitate Tracy before shooting her multiple times. Despite a restraining order against him and the fact that he was not supposed to know her new address, he had managed to track her down.
The motive behind this brutal act appeared to be his desire to avoid the divorce and gain sole custody of their two children, who were seven and nine years old at the time of their mother's death. Throughout the legal proceedings, Tracy's family spoke of the fear she had lived with and her efforts to navigate a challenging family court system while helping other victims of domestic abuse. They described a history of abuse that extended not only to Tracy but also to their children.
Ultimately, a jury found David Lechner guilty of first-degree murder after deliberation, attempted second-degree murder, and prohibited use of a stun gun. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Tracy's parents are now raising her two children.
