Man guilty of murdering cadet

A high-speed chase last year led to a crash that killed Taylor Thyfault, 21.

boulder» Cadet Taylor Thyfault spent his 21 years valuing the lives of people around him, whereas his killer expressed extreme indifference to human life, a State Patrol lieutenant colonel said Wednesday at the Boulder County Justice Center.

Those remarks came after a jury found Christopher Gebers, 28, guilty of 14 charges, including first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder, in connection with a highspeed pursuit and crash near Longmont last year that killed Thyfault and seriously injured Trooper Clinton Rushing.

The murder verdict, which came after five days of prosecution testimony and no witnesses for the defense, carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

“He was 21 years old when he died, but he packed a lot into that life,” Lt. Col. Brenda Leffler said of Thyfault. “He was a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, an uncle and a friend — and was on his way to becoming a Colorado State Patrol trooper.

“He was an American soldier and served his country. He died serving the people of Colorado and in saving another man’s life.”

Thyfault, who was training as a cadet to become a trooper on the day of the fatal crash, was promoted posthumously to trooper.

The State Patrol organized a news conference outside the courtroom, where Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley, Longmont Deputy Police Chief Jeff Satur, Leffler and Carole Adler, Thyfault’s mother, spoke.

“Taylor, your death serves as a reminder of evil’s existence,” Adler said. “But the way you lived your life ... also serves as a reminder of evil’s extinction. We will live fiercely as you watch over us.”

Satur spoke on behalf of the Longmont Police Department, which led the investigation. He said his officers learned from the state agency, and its members were kind and gracious throughout the process.

Troopers had been prohibited by the judge from wearing their uniforms during the trial, but the decorum order was lifted for the reading of the verdict and many wore their uniforms Wednesday in support of the victims.

Sentencing next month

Even though the murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence, prosecutors asked the judge for extra time to prepare, rather than proceed immediately to sentencing. Judge Ingrid Bakke scheduled the sentencing hearing for Nov. 4.

Public defender Megan Ring said the delay was “disturbing”

and “a waste of time” because Gebers had been waiting a long time to apologize and was prepared to face the victims’ families Wednesday.

In response, Brackley said Rushing, who was severely injured, will have a lot more to say about waiting at a later sentencing.

Lefler said that even though Rushing’s injuries nearly killed him, he is focusing on returning to full duty. She said the nurse and doctor who stopped at the scene helped save his life.

“It’s truly a miracle that Clinton Rushing is alive ... but Sgt. Rushing will never be the same and he faces a lifetime and future surgeries,” Lefler said.

At sentencing, Brackley said prosecutors will seek to hold Gebers accountable for the lesser counts in addition to the mandatory life sentence.

“While the judge must by law sentence Mr. Gebers to a life sentence for the murder-in-the-first-degree count, she has an option of a range of sentences for the other counts,” Brackley said.

“It was our decision after consultation with Trooper Rushing and his family, and also Carole Adler and the folks from the State Patrol, that we wanted to make sure the judge had the full sentencing option available to her when she sentences Mr. Gebers.”

Prior criminal history

The judge will be able to consider Gebers’ prior criminal history, which jurors did not know about in making their decision.

The Federal Heights man’s record includes a 2014 Larimer County conviction for stealing between $350 and $700, a 2013 Adams County conviction for distributing a controlled substance in Adams County, and a 2006 conviction for possessing a controlled substance and carrying a concealed weapon.

Kim Meiklejohn, Gebers’ mother, declined to comment when she left the courtroom Wednesday. She previously had said hearing the verdict would be difficult for her.

Prosecutors argued that on the morning of May 23, 2015, Gebers drove his 2002 modified Honda Civic with inoperable rear brakes while he was under the influence of methamphetamine.

They allege he traveled from Federal Heights to Longmont intending to deal drugs, and when a trooper chose to pull him over for having blue headlights, he fled west, reaching speeds above 100 mph, and failed to brake as he approached the scene of a separate three-vehicle crash on Colorado 66, where Thyfault, Rushing and several other people were.

The jury acquitted Gebers only of DUI vehicular homicide and DUI vehicular assault.

Brackley said he is thankful for the jury’s just decision, even under such heartbreaking and emotional circumstances.