In the late hours of April 23, 2022, police in Grand Junction, Colorado, were dispatched to a disturbance at the Days Inn on Horizon Drive. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim scene in one of the motel rooms. The door was ajar, and inside, 31-year-old Buddy Cates was found deceased on the floor, the victim of two gunshot wounds. Near his body, investigators found a revolver, an automatic pistol, a bundle of cash on the bed, and three pills suspected to be fentanyl on a television
stand.
The investigation into the death of Buddy Cates, a male, quickly turned into a homicide case. Surveillance footage from the hotel captured four individuals forcing their way into Cates' room. While the camera did not record what transpired inside, audible 'pops' could be heard on the video. Following the sounds, the four individuals were seen leaving the hotel. A trail of blood leading away from the room was also discovered by the officers on the scene.
Within a day of the shooting, authorities had apprehended two suspects, K.C. Hatley, 21, and Cory Davis, 36. The investigation continued, leading to the arrests of two more individuals, Amanda Cunningham, 31, and Lanea Cameron, 27, in connection with Cates' death. A witness later told police that the group had gone to the motel with the intention of robbing Cates. According to the witness, the situation escalated when Cates shot Hatley, and in retaliation, Davis shot Cates.
In December 2023, K.C. Hatley, then 23, accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery. As a result of the plea deal, charges of second-degree murder, felony murder, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, felony menacing, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender were dismissed. Hatley was subsequently sentenced to 19 years in prison for his role in the events that led to the death of Buddy Cates.
