In the summer of 2017, the life of 18-year-old Thomas Gwardyak, a Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Fremont County, Colorado. On July 29, 2017, Gwardyak was fatally shot, an event witnessed by 21-year-old Kayla Mattice. Mattice later admitted to investigators that she saw Tyler Delaney shoot Gwardyak.
The investigation into Gwardyak's death led law enforcement to Delaney, who, in August of 2017, led them on a high-speed pursuit before being apprehended.
Following his arrest, Delaney faced serious charges, including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder of a police officer. He pleaded not guilty to these charges and was held at the Fremont County Jail without bond.
As the legal proceedings unfolded, Kayla Mattice, who was initially charged as an accessory to murder, accepted a plea deal in March 2018. In exchange for her testimony in Delaney's trial, she pleaded guilty to accessory to a crime and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Mattice was held at the Pueblo County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond and faced a potential prison sentence of six to eight years. Her sentencing was scheduled for April 30, 2018, with Delaney's trial set to begin on May 1 of the same year.
