In the summer of 2022, the life of 25-year-old Alexis Baca was tragically cut short, her body discovered by a hiker on July 25th near the Realization Point trailhead on Flagstaff Mountain, a scenic area just outside of Boulder, Colorado. An examination of the scene revealed a grim picture; Baca had sustained a gunshot wound to the back of her head and showed signs of other injuries, including cigarette burns. Investigators were able to identify her through her fingerprints, which led them to discover she was a resident of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The investigation into her death quickly uncovered a complex and harrowing story. Baca had been traveling from New Mexico and found herself stranded in Colorado after a male companion was arrested during a traffic stop. It is believed she was left with a significant amount of cash and two handguns. In need of help to get back home, she contacted a friend, Jaime Moore, also from Las Cruces. Moore, along with three others, then traveled to Colorado. Surveillance footage from the days leading up to the discovery of her body showed Baca's car being followed by a Ford F-250 registered to Moore.
What was supposed to be a rescue mission took a dark turn. The motive behind the violent act appeared to be robbery, as the perpetrators intended to steal the cash and drugs Baca possessed. According to the testimony of one of the accomplices, Cody Hobirk, Moore confronted Baca with the chilling ultimatum, 'Get out or eat lead.' When she exited the vehicle and screamed, Moore shot her. Afterward, her body was dragged into a wooded area, and her car was disposed of in an attempt to cover up the crime.
The ensuing investigation led to the arrests of four individuals in connection with the murder. Jaime Moore, 32, was the last of the four to be convicted and was found guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, tampering with a deceased body, and tampering with physical evidence. He received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Two of the other individuals involved were Cody Hobirk and Ashley Provine. Hobirk pleaded guilty to felony murder and testified against Moore as part of a plea agreement. The convictions brought a measure of justice to the family of Alexis Baca, who was remembered by her loved ones as a caring person and a mother to a young daughter.
