In the quiet community of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, the life of 65-year-old Richard “Dick” Isaacs was brought to a tragic and violent end. On May 13, 2017, Isaacs was shot and killed in the Aspen Springs subdivision. His body was discovered the following day, and the Archuleta County Coroner later determined that he had died from multiple gunshot wounds to his head, neck, chest, and abdomen. The manner of his death was ruled a homicide.
The investigation into Isaacs' death quickly led to the identification of a suspect, his neighbor Chad Nystrom. The shooting reportedly occurred during a gathering at Nystrom's property. Following the incident, Nystrom and a woman named Charlotte Benally allegedly traveled to Grand Junction before returning to Pagosa Springs the next day, at which point the shooting was reported to the authorities. Nystrom was subsequently arrested and initially charged with second-degree murder, a charge that was later elevated to first-degree murder. Benally was also taken into custody, accused of being an accessory to the crime.
The legal process that followed was complex. The initial jury trial for Chad Nystrom resulted in a hung jury, leading to a mistrial. In a later development, the charges against Charlotte Benally were dropped. Ultimately, Nystrom pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. He was subsequently sentenced to six years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for the death of Richard Isaacs.
