JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (Scripps News Denver/Court TV) — A Colorado man was sentenced to life behind bars after he was convicted of murdering a young woman by throwing a rock at her car, smashing her windshield.
FILE – Joseph Koenig (Scripps News Denver)
Joseph Koenig was convicted of 19 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, third-degree assault and attempted third-degree assault in connection with the 2023 death of Alexa Bartell. Bartell was killed on April 19, 2023, when a large landscaping rock crashed through her windshield as she was driving in Jefferson County.
On June 3, a judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole, plus an additional 60 years to be served consecutively.
Approximately a week after Bartell’s death, police arrested Koenig as well as Zachary Kwak and Nicholas Karol-Chik. Both Kwak and Karol-Chik pleaded guilty, accepting deals with the prosecution that required them to testify against Koenig at his trial.
Kwak described what happened that day, saying that they had gathered the landscaping rocks from a median area along the road. At some point, Kwak said that Karol-Chik and Koenig began throwing rocks at stationary cars, describing Koenig as throwing with his dominant left hand “shot put style.”
In May, Karol-Chik was sentenced to 45 years in prison and Kwak was sentenced to 32 years in prison.
KEY MOMENTS FROM TRIAL
- Rock-Throwing Murder Trial: Opening Statements
- Jenna Griggs, girlfriend of Alexa Bartell, testified about finding Alexa after their phone call dropped.
- Kelly Bartell, Alexa’s mother, said the last time she saw Alexa, they said ‘I love you’ as always, but something told her to give her an extra hug and remind her to be safe.
- Elinor Davis, Nathan Tipton and Brian Smith described being startled by something shattering their windshields as they were driving.
- Co-defendant Zachary Kwak, who took a plea deal, testified about the incident.
- Co-defendant Nicholas Karol-Chik said Koenig threw the rock that killed Alexa
- After more than seven hours of deliberations, the jury returned with a verdict in Joseph Koenig’s trial.
- Alexa Bartell’s parents tearfully delivered their impact statements at Joseph Koenig’s sentencing, saying she was stolen from them. Her father said he’d give Koenig the death penalty if he could, and her mother said Alexa’s death ‘shattered’ her.
- Joseph Koenig said he’s had two years to think about what he wanted to say before apologizing to Alexa Bartell’s family at his sentencing hearing. Koenig acknowledged it was his “fault” Alexa is gone.
- A judge sentenced Koenig to life in prison without parole plus an additional 60 years.
