Investigator testifies in Golden home invasion case

Investigator testimony during a preliminary hearing on Oct. 4 revealed details on weapons used in the May 16 home invasion in Golden and the relationships of the suspects involved.

According to Chantel Shipman, an investigator with the 1st Judicial District district attorney’s office who is leading the home invasion investigation, an attempted robbery that led to the stabbing was planned in advance through Facebook conversation and acquaintanceship.

At about 9 p.m. on May 16, the three male suspects – Cody Jones, 20, Tyler Gorringe, 17, and Caleb Williams, 21 – forced their way into a home in the 1900 block of Washington Avenue, according to police reports. They were expecting to find $ 10,000 in cash and drugs, but had gone to the wrong house. Julia Johnson, 19, identified as the night’s driver, waited in her car in the parking lot of a nearby business.

Shipman testified that Jones revealed he knew all of the suspects involved. Johnson only knew Jones, and she had met him through her fiancé about two years earlier. During an interview with Gorringe, Gorringe estimated that he and Williams had known each other for months – possibly up to a year prior to the incident, but that he had only known Jones for a few weeks, Shipman said. How long Jones and Williams had known each other was not revealed.

The suspects were armed with various weapons, the investigator said, including a baseball bat, a metal curtain rod, a hunting knife and a pocket knife. Homeowners Jesse and Jessica Swift, both middle school teachers in Golden, had their two young children asleep in the home at the time of the attack.

As Jesse Swift tried to fight off the attackers, his wife ran from the house and called 911 from a neighbor’s home.

Golden Police arrived in less than three minutes from the time the 911 call was received. Both Swift and Williams were transported to the hospital with stab wounds.

After Williams was released from the hospital, he was taken to Jefferson County Jail. Gorringe’s case was transferred from juvenile court to adult district court on July 18. A warrant was issued for Jones’ arrest on May 18, but he remained at-large until he turned himself in to the Golden Police Department on July 7.

All three men face a slew of felony charges, including attempted murder in the second degree, assault and attempted aggravated robbery. All are being held on a $ 500,000 bond.

Johnson was arrested on May 20. She faces felony accessory charges. On June 7, her bond was modified from $ 250,000 to $ 25,000, which she posted.

During a July 7 interview with Jones, he stated that the invasion was Williams’ idea, Shipman said. However, she also testified that during the course of investigation, Facebook messages dated about a week prior to the incident revealed that Jones wrote to Williams asking about his interest in being involved. Williams told investigators that he did not know where Jones got the information on the home they planned to burglarize.

Shipman testified that Johnson thought she was giving Jones and a couple of his friends a ride to buy drugs. She picked up Jones, Gorringe and Williams at a residence in Lafayette. They made a stop in Boulder where Jones picked up a backpack and a baseball bat, then proceeded to Golden – Jones directing Johnson where to go.

Johnson stated she did not know the Swifts or how Jones got the address, Shipman said. Johnson also said she did not know what went on inside the house until she heard Jones and Gorringe talking about it in the car.

 

Golden Transcript – Latest Stories