In what should have been a safe space, her own home, 41-year-old Michelle Peters’ life was tragically cut short on a Friday evening in Colorado Springs. The events that unfolded on July 13, 2018, were the culmination of a history of domestic turmoil that ultimately led to her violent death.
That evening, a knock at the door of the residence in the 3400 block of Galleria Terrace was met with caution. Looking through the peephole, Michelle and her daughter saw what appeared to be a woman with long black and red hair, holding pamphlets with her back to the door. When her daughter opened the door, the person, disguised in a wig, forced a handgun inside. The voice, laced with expletives, was immediately recognizable to the daughter as that of Mark Christopher Peters, Michelle's estranged husband. A struggle ensued as the daughter tried to close the door, but Peters, with his foot wedged in the opening, managed to fire a single shot through the door. The bullet struck Michelle in the head. Despite her daughter’s desperate attempts to apply pressure to the wound and the efforts of medical technicians who arrived shortly after, Michelle succumbed to her injury at the scene.
The shooting triggered an hours-long manhunt for Mark Peters. He was already known to law enforcement, as Michelle had an active protection order against him and he was being investigated for stalking her. In fact, there was an active warrant for his arrest on charges of stalking and violating the protection order. The public was alerted that he was considered armed and dangerous and might be riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Mark Peters was apprehended around midnight following the shooting. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the death of his estranged wife. The investigation revealed a disturbing history of domestic violence and stalking that preceded the fatal shooting. Peters was held in the El Paso County Jail.
