Sheriff’s Office Releases Timeline of Weld County Homicide Case
Despite how it may seem on Criminal Minds, solving a homicide is not an easy task. In fact, when a murder is committed by a stranger, it can often take months to complete an investigation.
However, the Weld County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) defied these norms in a recent homicide case, successfully arresting Trevor George for the murder of Ryan Rogina in just 10 hours.
Here's how they did it:
Tuesday, Oct. 6
Trevor Daniel George, 32, is booked into the Laramie County Jail, following his Wyoming arrest for driving a stolen Fort Collins vehicle while allegedly high on narcotics.
Saturday, Oct. 24
George is released from the Laramie County Jail on bond. He then proceeds to rob a Cheyenne home before driving away from the scene in a stolen 2018 GMC pickup.
Friday, Oct. 29
9:30 p.m.: Officers locate George's stolen vehicle using OnStar, but he is able to flee the scene before they arrive. Police discover firearms, narcotics, other illegal material, and a Wyoming State Patrol business card from his prior arrest in the vehicle. A WCSO K9 Unit is called onto the scene.
12:30 a.m.: Gunshots ring out at a rural residence off of Crossroads Boulevard and Weld County Road 17.
1:05 a.m.: Officers receive a 911 from a distraught woman stating that a man has been shot and a child has been strangled in her home. She reveals that suspect is armed and still in her residence.
Upon arrival, police see a deceased male, later identified as 30-year-old Ryan Ray Rogina, with gunshot wounds lying in the driveway. After realizing that five other victims are still hiding in the house, officers enact an immediate rescue mission and save the victims.
Authorities take the victims to the hospital for treatment, and warn Weld County residents that an armed and dangerous suspect is on the loose.
1:15 a.m.: A victim is able to identify George as the suspect, and various law enforcement teams are contacted to locate him.
9 a.m.: The WCSO Strike Team is able to track George electronically after obtaining a warrant, and uses this information to find his last known address.
9:30 a.m.: A Dodge Challenger Hellcat is reported stolen from an area within one mile of the homicide.
9:45 a.m.: The stolen vehicle report alerts authorities that George is likely still in Northern Colorado. Law enforcement teams are assigned to various sectors throughout the area in order to capture George.
11:25 a.m.: A suspect resembling George is seen with the Hellcat at a gas station in Fort Collins.
11:35 a.m.: Undercover law enforcement agents arrive at the gas station and confirm the presence of George. After getting food and gas, George attempts to leave in the Hellcat.
In order to avoid a dangerous high-speed chase, officers successfully ram and disable the vehicle. George begins to resist arrest, but officers are able to take him into custody using a Taser.
Post arrest:
George refuses to cooperate with the investigation, and does not reveal the motivation behind the murder and the strangulation of a child. Officers later learn that George had planned to use a firearm in the event of his arrest.
After further investigation, WCSO determined that George did not know Rogina, and that the murder was likely the random result of an attempted carjacking.
"The Weld County Sheriff's Office Investigations Unit blended cutting-edge techniques with multi-agency cooperation to bring a dangerous and violent homicide suspect into custody. It's rare for a homicide involving strangers to be solved in several months, let alone 10 hours," said Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams in a press release. "The Weld County Sheriff's Office wants to thank all our partner agencies in Northern Colorado and Wyoming that helped bring George into custody."
If you have any information about this case, please call WCSO at (970) 356-4015 or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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