Hearing undermines motive claimed by ax-murder suspect

Defense documents don’t show family at edge of homelessness

BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Reginald Maclaren allegedly confessed to the March 25 ax murders of his wife and daughter in their Englewood apartment, police body camera footage shows him saying he killed the two women because the family was facing nancial issues and he didn’t want them to “end up on the streets begging for food.” e body camera footage also shows Maclaren saying his daughter had cerebral palsy, and an autopsy report stated his daughter died from 23 “chop wounds.”

But documents presented by the defense in his preliminary hearing Wednesday undermine that assertion for a motive, showing that the family had paid their rent for March; they had placed a deposit on a new apartment; Maclaren had recently purchased a car; and his wife had between $80,000 and $90,000 in savings.

Maclaren, 82, was arrested March 25 for allegedly killing his wife, Bethany Maclaren, 70, and his daughter, Ruth Maclaren, 35, with an ax in their residence at 901 Englewood Parkway. He was charged on April 3 with two counts of rst-degree murder, two counts of tampering with a deceased human body and one count of false reporting to authorities.

At Wednesday’s hearing, his bond was set at $2 million cash or surety, and his arraignment was set for Sept. 5.

Englewood resident Reginald Maclaren is facing two counts of firstdegree murder for allegedly killing his wife and daughter with an ax.