In early April of 2018, the life of 32-year-old Kyle Edward Free came to a violent and tragic end in Clifton, Colorado. The events leading to his death began with a domestic disturbance at the residence of his girlfriend, Rebecca Walker. Authorities were called to the home due to Free's erratic behavior, reportedly influenced by drugs. This incident prompted Walker to obtain a restraining order, which resulted in Free being removed from the home.
Following these events, Walker sought the help of John C. Eddy to confront Free. On April 11, 2018, Eddy, in the company of David Castro, went to Walker's home where they found Free in the garage. An altercation ensued, during which Eddy fatally shot Free. In the chaos, Castro was accidentally wounded by a gunshot to the buttocks.
After the shooting, Free's body remained in the garage for several days. Walker attempted to obscure a tattoo on his leg by trying to burn it off, in an effort to make identification more difficult. She then wrapped his body in large plastic bags secured with electrical tape and placed it inside a 50-gallon tub. To further conceal the remains, the tub was lined with a camouflage tarp.
Seeking assistance to dispose of the body, Walker contacted Timothy 'Zane' Russman. Russman, along with another individual named Nathan Ryan, transported the tub containing Free's body to a remote location in Mesa County. There, they buried him in a shallow grave and covered it with rocks. Kyle Edward Free was officially reported missing by his brother on April 27, 2018, triggering an investigation. A crucial breakthrough in the case came when a confidential informant provided law enforcement with information that led to the arrests of those involved. John C. Eddy was identified as the shooter. Rebecca Walker, David Castro, Timothy Russman, and Nathan Ryan were all implicated in the events surrounding the murder and the concealment of the crime. Ryan was subsequently charged with accessory to murder, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse.
