In the quiet town of Calhan, a dispute over a septic tank escalated into a fatal encounter on a Monday afternoon. On September 15, 2014, 30-year-old Michael Mackey was shot and killed on a property located in the 9800 block of Calhan Highway. The El Paso County Coroner's Office would later determine that he died from multiple gunshot wounds, ruling his death a homicide.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the arrest of 59-year-old Heather Neville.
According to neighbors, Neville was a tenant on the property and had been in a disagreement with her landlord, who was reportedly denying her access to the septic tank. It is believed that this ongoing conflict was the catalyst for the deadly shooting.
Following the incident, Neville was taken into custody and faced a charge of first-degree murder. She made her initial court appearance shortly after her arrest as the community tried to make sense of the violent act that had disturbed their rural peace. Neville's children were placed in the care of relatives in the wake of her arrest.
