Three teenagers from Colorado are set to face trial for the tragic death of 20-year-old Alexa Bartell. The young woman lost her life after a landscaping rock, allegedly thrown by the trio, crashed through her car windshield. Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak, all 18 at the time, were apprehended by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office concerning this horrifying incident.
The lead investigator of the case revealed during a preliminary hearing that Karol-Chik confessed the group had targeted moving vehicles with rocks around 10 times between February and April. On a shocking night in April, six vehicles were struck within two hours, resulting in multiple injuries and culminating in Bartell’s death.
The events on that fateful night began with the teens collecting landscaping rocks from a Walmart parking lot. They then set off in Koenig’s pickup truck, with Koenig, known for his destructive tendencies, behind the wheel.
After fatally hitting Bartell’s car, the group eerily returned to the scene, with Kwak allegedly capturing an image of the damaged vehicle. Upon realizing the fatal outcome of their act, Koenig reportedly labeled the trio as “blood brothers.”
The investigation has been guided by testimonies, mobile phone data, and interviews, linking the teenagers to various crime scenes. The core evidence suggests that Kwak and Koenig were primarily involved in the lethal attack on Bartell.
As reported by a Star Beacon, While all three face multiple charges, including first-degree murder and extreme indifference, their trial will undoubtedly seek clarity on their individual roles in the series of events leading up to Bartell’s untimely death.