In what should have been a time of new beginnings, 26-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Paz, a White/Caucasian female, found her life cut tragically short in a violent encounter that also claimed the life of a dedicated law enforcement officer. A Marine Corps veteran, Alex had moved to Colorado Springs with her husband, Jon Paz, approximately two years prior to the incident.
Friends and family remember her as a vibrant person with a love for animals, who was nearing the completion of her studies to become a veterinary technician. Her mother described her as someone who could light up a room with her ever-present happy smile.
The couple's relationship, however, had soured, and they were in the process of a divorce. Allegations of infidelity on the part of Jon Paz had led to their separation. On the evening of August 7, 2022, the turmoil in their personal lives escalated into a public tragedy. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office received a call reporting shots fired in the Security-Widefield area and dispatched deputies to the scene. What they encountered was an active and dangerous situation.
Upon their arrival, officers were immediately met with gunfire from 33-year-old Jon Paz. In the ensuing exchange, Deputy Andrew Peery was struck and fatally wounded. When law enforcement was finally able to secure the scene, they discovered Alex Paz deceased from gunshot wounds. The investigation determined that Jon Paz had shot and killed his ex-wife before opening fire on the responding officers. Inside the residence, authorities found Jon Paz dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The investigation into the deaths of Alexandra Paz and Deputy Andrew Peery concluded that Jon Paz was the sole perpetrator in a horrific murder-suicide. As the suspect took his own life at the scene, no arrests were made in connection with this devastating incident of domestic violence. The community was left to mourn the loss of both a promising young woman and a heroic deputy who died in the line of duty.
