Elbert County News 1213

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December 13, 2018

ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

Murder charge dropped in teacher death case Shifting confessions didn’t match evidence in 2010 mystery BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

their family,” said Susan Leonard, food bank director. “We are a selfsufficient food bank and receive no government help. All our food is donated for the food bank by our neighbors who want to help their neighbors.” The food bank was established in 1985. Leonard said while the Elizabeth Presbyterian Church is home to the food bank, it is a program supported by many of the area churches.

Nearly a year after he was booked into the Elbert County Jail, the suspect in the coldcase death of Kiowa teacher Randy Wilson saw the murder charge against him dismissed on Dec. 3. The dismissal came at the request of prosecutors, who said they no longer believed they could convince a jury that Dan Pesch was guilty. Though Pesch confessed to the murder many times in the Pesch months leading up to his December 2017 arrest, he later said he was lying, driven by substance abuse and mental illness. Pesch wasn’t going anywhere yet, though. Following the dismissal of the murder case, he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted escape, incurred when he tried to break free from officers outside the jail when he was arrested in 2017. Judge Gary Kramer set Pesch’s bond on the attempted-escape charge at $10,000, with a sentencing scheduled for Feb. 4, and Pesch continued to be held in custody. The crime carries a presumptive sentence of one to four years of incarceration, Kramer said.

SEE BANK, P2

SEE CHARGE, P2

Members of the community donated the cans and boxes of food that fill the shelves of the Elizabeth Food Bank at the Elizabeth Presbyterian Church, 381 Banner St. COURTESY PHOTO

Food bank helps people facing hard times Volunteers keep operation running for distribution twice each week BY TOM MUNDS TMUNDS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Twice a week the Elizabeth Food Bank provides help in the building adjacent to Elizabeth Presbyterian Church at 381 S. Banner St.

The doors are open each Friday from noon to 3 p.m. and each Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. There are rows of shelves holding cans and packages of food plus three freezers holding meats. All items are there for anyone who wants to add them to their basket while they are shopping. “The food bank is open to all comers. There is no requirement to show a need. We welcome anyone who wants to stop by and pick up for food for themselves or

PERIODICAL

DID YOU KNOW INSIDE

Donors gave $35.1 million to 2,481 nonprofits on Dec. 4, Colorado Gives Day. Source: Community First Foundation

VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 4

ElbertCountyNews.net

VOLUME 123 | ISSUE 46


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