A Jefferson County man convicted of murder in a rock-throwing spree that killed 20-year-old Alexa Bartell was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Tuesday.
Joseph Koenig, 20, will spend the rest of his life in the Colorado Department of Corrections after a jury found him guilty in April on 19 counts related to throwing large rocks at passing vehicles.
Life in prison is the mandatory sentence for a first-degree murder conviction in Colorado. Koenig was also sentenced to an additional 60 years for attempted murder, assault, attempted assault, attempted reckless manslaughter and reckless endangerment, according to the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Koenig and two other men threw rocks at passing cars the night of April 19, 2023, in a random spree, including the car Bartell was driving on Indiana Street near the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. The 9.3-pound rock went through her windshield and struck her in the head.
Bartell’s mother, Kelly, addressed the court during Koenig’s sentencing, the DA’s office said.
The loss of her daughter “shattered my soul,” Kelly Bartell said.
“There is no part of my life that will ever be the same,” she said. “…We will honor (Alexa) by living with the love, light and laughter that she gave so freely, and we will carry her with us always.”
Two other 18-year-olds were also charged in connection with Alexa Bartell’s death. Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, and Zachary Kwak pleaded guilty to assault and attempted assault and was sentenced to 32 years in prison.
Both men agreed to testify at Koenig’s trial as part of their plea deals.
Koenig addressed the court and the Bartell family for the first time at the Tuesday sentencing and apologized, according to the DA’s office.
“I deserve the punishment that I get today. I hope that it takes away some small bit of the pain I’ve caused,” he said.
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