Rachel Ream, a 47-year-old woman, was found deceased in her home in Ignacio, Colorado, on January 1, 2021. Her death was the tragic culmination of a history of domestic violence at the hands of her husband, Damon Lamont Mathews, who was 44 years old at the time. The events that led to her murder began to unfold in the weeks prior, creating a timeline of escalating danger that ultimately resulted in her death.
Just over a month before her death, on November 24, 2020, Mathews was arrested
for third-degree assault and domestic violence against Rachel. Following this arrest, a judge set his bond at $1,500, and a protection order was issued to prevent him from contacting her. Despite the charges and the protective order, Mathews was released from La Plata County Jail on December 25, 2020, after posting bail. Two days later, in direct violation of the court order, he began living in a studio apartment behind Rachel's house.
On the evening of December 31, 2020, what began as an argument between Rachel and Mathews escalated into a violent and fatal confrontation. According to Mathews' own confession to law enforcement, he and Rachel were in the studio apartment when they began to fight. During the altercation, he strangled her. After the initial assault, Mathews went into the main house and retrieved a 9mm handgun belonging to Rachel. He then returned to the studio apartment and shot her once in the head.
Following the murder, Mathews fled the scene in Rachel's car, driving to the Denver-metro area. On January 1, 2021, he was involved in a traffic incident, which led to his arrest by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. During his interaction with law enforcement, Mathews admitted to killing his wife. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder. In April 2022, a jury found Damon Lamont Mathews guilty of the first-degree murder of his wife, Rachel Ream. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
