Things got ugly after truth got out about affair

Victim’s husband admitted fathering girlfriend’s child

Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 26, 2007 at midnight

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For more than a year, Shawna Nelson carefully guarded a secret.

The boy born in early 2006 to Shawna and her husband, Ken, was actually the child of a married Greeley police officer with whom she’d had a three-year, on- again, off-again affair.

The people closest to Shawna — including her husband, a Weld County sheriff’s deputy — knew the truth. Officers on the police force, where Ignacio Garraus worked as a cop and Shawna Nelson as a dispatcher, suspected.

But it wasn’t until about three weeks ago that Ignacio’s wife, Heather Garraus, found out.

Although they struggled Thursday for an explanation, sources close to Shawna Nelson said that discovery — and its aftermath — may have led to the deadly ending Tuesday night.

Authorities have accused Nelson of waiting outside a credit union where Heather Garraus worked and opening fire as Heather walked to her car.

Heather, the proud mother of a 9-year-old daughter, has been described as a wonderful friend and supervisor, the kind of person who would do anything for others.

Ignacio Garraus could not be reached for comment Thursday. On Wednesday, members of Heather’s family declined to comment and asked reporters, through police, for privacy.

Bitter breakup

Shortly after Heather learned about the baby, Ignacio cut things off again with Shawna, according to two sources close to Shawna who agreed to talk to the Rocky Mountain News if they were not named.

This time the breakup appeared final.

The sources said the Garrauses hired an attorney, and Ignacio told Shawna that if she wanted to contact him, to do it through his lawyer.

He also told Shawna he wanted to relinquish his parental rights, the sources said.

Although Ignacio’s behavior devastated Shawna, she didn’t seem upset enough to do anything rash, a close friend said. The night before the shooting, Shawna met friends for a regular Monday evening gathering. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

That led some of those who know her best to conclude Thursday that if Shawna committed the killing, she must have had some kind of breakdown.

Shawna, who had taken antidepressants for years, recently had stopped taking them, one of the sources said.

Both sources said they believed the mother of three had suffered from postpartum depression.

"She loved her children so much," one said. "In her right mind, she never would have given up all those years she could lose with her kids."

Tumultuous romance

Ignacio and Shawna began seeing each other about three years ago, the sources said. Both of their spouses eventually found out, and at various times the couple tried to end it.

But the breakups never lasted long.

In early 2005, Ken and Shawna separated because of the affair. In May of that year, Ken filed for divorce.

Shawna got pregnant with Ignacio’s baby during that time, the sources said. She told Ignacio about the pregnancy, but he didn’t want to leave his wife and daughter.

Shawna eventually told Ken, who suggested they get back together and that he raise the baby as his own.

In August 2005, Ken withdrew the divorce petition. The family moved into a new house, and in the spring of 2006, the boy was born.

Heather would see Shawna with the baby, either at police functions or in the credit union, a friend said. But until three weeks ago, she didn’t know it was her husband’s.

Then Heather caught Shawna and Ignacio out together. She confronted Ignacio, who told her about everything — including the baby.

Once the secret was out and Ignacio had ended the relationship, things got nasty, with the women involved in a handful of bitter exchanges, sources said.

Shawna told a friend that on one occasion, she went into the credit union where Heather worked to close her accounts so she could move them to another bank. While inside, Shawna showed off the baby, telling people he was Heather’s husband’s child.

Heather told Shawna more than once to stay away from her family, the sources said.

What’s still unclear is what happened on Tuesday.

Shawna, a doting stay-at-home mom who was active in her kids’ hobbies, from Girl Scouts to Cub Scouts and sports, apparently left her three children — ages 8, 6 and 10 months — at home alone and drove to the credit union, where the shooting occurred.

No one, including her husband, has been allowed to visit with Shawna, who is being held at the Weld County jail without bail.

She is scheduled to appear in court Monday, the same day Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck said he will file formal charges of first-degree murder against her.

Greeley police referred all calls Thursday to Assistant District Attorney Phil Clark, who said he could not comment. On Wednesday, a Weld County judge sealed the arrest affidavit.

"There’s no comment on any of the facts. There’s no comment on anything new," Clark said. "There isn’t anything else we can say."

On Thursday, the Colorado State Employees Credit Union opened a memorial fund to benefit the Garrauses’ daughter, calling it the best way to honor Heather’s legacy.

A private funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.

How to help

Contributions can be made to help the daughter of Heather Garraus.

• Colorado State Employees Credit Union

1390 Logan St., Denver 80203

• Checks should be payable to Victoria Garraus Fund.

• For information: Call 800-444-4816 or 303-832-4816 or go to csecu.org

Staff writer Charley Able contributed to this report.

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