Police think man killed spouse, stepdaughter

Joseph Blecha apparently committed suicide on Plains

John C. Ensslin And Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 14, 2006 at midnight

Text size

More Local News

More stories »

CASTLE ROCK - Police suspect that over the Labor Day weekend, Joseph Blecha killed his wife and her daughter, loaded their bodies on the bed of a truck, drove it to a remote ravine on a ranch in Lincoln County and set the vehicle on fire.

Later, Blecha, a 49-year-old welder, shot and killed himself, about 40 yards from where a rancher came across the scorched crime scene. Two bodies were burned beyond recognition, but authorities believe they are Jacqueline Blecha, 46, and her daughter, Ashley Martin, 14.

"It was a domestic violence situation of some kind," Castle Rock police Chief Tony Lane told reporters Wednesday.

Ten days prior to the family disappearing, Castle Rock police investigated what was described as "a rolling disturbance." A motorist had called police and reported seeing the driver of a green Jeep hit a female passenger twice near U.S. 85 and Meadows Parkway.

Police traced the vehicle to the Blecha home in the 5800 block of Rock Creek Drive, where both the wife and daughter denied that Joseph Blecha had hit anybody.

Joseph Blecha told an officer that he had been frustrated with his wife, that she had been making large purchases and that money had been very tight. He also told police that he was thinking about leaving her because she had a spending problem.

Jacqueline Blecha told police her husband had been frustrated that night because traffic was heavy. They also were planning to see a movie, but neither had the money. He asked where all the money had gone and demanded to see her purse. She refused to give it to him while he was driving.

Police continued to search the couple's home Wednesday. Although the house was clean and orderly, police found bits of evidence linked to the crime scene in Lincoln County, said Steve Johnson, division director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. He would not elaborate.

Jacqueline Blecha was a teacher's assistant at Buffalo Ridge Elementary School in Castle Rock. Ashley Martin was a sophomore at Rock Canyon High School.

Rock Canyon Principal Dan McMinimee made a schoolwide announcement early Wednesday about her presumed death.

"We're deeply saddened by this event, and our hearts go out to friends and family," he said.

McMinimee said that Martin was a good student from the reports he had from her teachers.

A group of students gathered in front of the music and drama rooms after school to sign a card for her.

"She was a very sweet person," said Kayla Bush, 14, a friend and fellow choir member.

Jason Musso, 15, said Martin befriended him this year and helped him with his homework.

"She was nice, she was funny," he said. "She really helped me whenever I had troubles. You wouldn't think she would have any problems at home."

Ashley's father, Dean Martin, 48, of Columbus, Ohio, said the last time he saw his daughter was at Christmas, and he detected a hint that something was wrong with her family in Colorado.

"She didn't want to go home," he said. "She wanted to move to Florida because she enjoyed living there when she grew up."

Rose Ann Martin, 72, of Fort Myers, Fla., said her granddaughter "didn't deserve any of this. She was caught in a marital dispute and got killed. It's horrible, it's incomprehensible."

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News