At approximately 10 p.m. on February 6, as we've reported, Weld County Sheriff's Office deputies received a report about a husband, Cimmeron, chasing his wife, Alisha Johns, and her mother, Sheri Pachello. The women were in a gold colored SUV, while Cimmeron was in a dark-colored car.
The last known location of Pachello was in Frederick, the community where Cimmeron lived. His house, located at 6294 Clayton Street, can be seen in the following interactive graphic; if you have problems seeing the image, click "View Larger Map."Law enforcers canvassing the area soon found a crash site, as well as a vehicle that matched the description of the one said to have been following Alisha and her mom: a 1992 Mercedes.
The car wasn't owned by Cimmeron. As noted by the Denver Post, it belonged to O'Donnell, described as a friend of his.Witnesses had seen the SUV, a 1991 Ford Explorer, and the Mercedes speeding away from Cimmeron's house. Given that the Mercedes had been found in a snowy field, investigators assumed the SUV was under Cimmeron's control.
But the women were nowhere to be found, and that was alarming, given that late last month, Alisha had contacted authorities to reveal that Cimmeron had been abusing her.Continue for more about the double-murder/suicide, including additional photos and a video. According to 7News, Alisha said that Cimmeron had pummeled her for two days, choking her and giving her black eyes, after he learned that she'd had an affair. She hadn't wanted to press charges, but a warrant for second-degree assault/domestic violence was active in his name anyhow.
The next day, the bodies of Alisha and Pachello were found within miles of the spot where the Mercedes had been left. But Cimmeron was still at large -- and it turns out he was with Thornton-based O'Donnell.Before long, officers from the Thornton Police Department, giving an assist to the WCSO, found the SUV, and while they were in the midst of investigating, they received a report of shots fired inside O'Donnell's place, at the 10200 block of Ura Lane.
As people nearby were evacuated, the Thornton/Northglenn SWAT team surrounded the place and attempted to contact the suspect. Finally, gas canisters were launched and the officers moved in to find Cimmeron dead. He'd killed himself with a gunshot to the chest.
O'Donnell says Cimmeron had talked about suicide prior to the night he killed his wife and mother-in-law, and she admitted to the Post that he'd told her about the murders shortly after they happened. When a reporter asked why she hadn't informed police after, she tearfully said she didn't know.
This answer clearly wasn't good enough for authorities. O'Donnell has now been arrested and charged on two counts of accessory to a crime, a class 4 felony, in regard to the murders of Alisha and her mom.
O'Donnell is expected to appear via video for a bond hearing, slated to take place at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Weld County court system.
Additionally, Justin O'Donnell, 23, is facing similar counts. His bond hearing, at which he'll also appear via video, is at 1 p.m. on Friday, February 14.
Look below to see Justin's mug shot, followed by images of Cimmeron, Alisha and Pachello, plus a 7News report from shortly after the women's bodies were found.
Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.
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