On the evening of February 20, 2021, a fatal encounter unfolded at the Downtown Motel in Trinidad, Colorado, leaving 31-year-old Tad Jeffery Michael Trefethen dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The owner of the motel, Joseph Shiloh Kirkland, a 39-year-old Trinidad resident, was arrested in connection with the shooting.
Trinidad police responded to a 9:23 p.m. call from Kirkland himself, reporting an attempted stabbing at his motel located at 516 E. Main Street.
Upon arrival, officers found Trefethen in one of the rooms with gunshot wounds. Kirkland told police that Trefethen had tried to stab him.
A witness at the scene provided a chilling account to investigators. She stated she was outside the room when she heard Kirkland yell ''drop the knife,'' three times, followed by the sound of four to five gunshots. She then saw Kirkland place a gun on the floor, exit the room, and call 9-1-1. The same witness also informed police that a day prior to the shooting, Trefethen had mentioned wanting to stab or shoot Kirkland.
The investigation, assisted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, led to Kirkland being charged with second-degree murder and held at the Las Animas County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Further details emerged suggesting a history of conflict between the two men. Kirkland had reportedly ejected Trefethen from the motel earlier on the day of the shooting for alleged theft. Trefethen was said to have been angry and had returned to the property, entering a room without permission to allegedly steal from other residents. Kirkland was alerted by the room's occupant and confronted Trefethen. It was during this confrontation, as Kirkland was attempting to retrieve stolen items and threatening to call the police, that Trefethen allegedly brandished a knife. An autopsy later revealed that Trefethen had been shot seven times, and a toxicology report showed the presence of amphetamine, methamphetamine, opiates, and tricyclic antidepressants in his system.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Kirkland's attorney filed a motion for immunity from prosecution under Colorado's 'Make-My-Day' law, arguing that Kirkland acted in self-defense against an unlawful intruder. In April 2021, Kirkland was released from jail after his bond was reduced to $75,000.
