Final Jefferson County Rock-Throwing Defendant Sentenced Life Without Parole

Joseph Koenig was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder of Alexa Bartell, who was killed when Koenig threw a rock through her windshield while she was driving. Koenig was convicted of 19 charges related to a series of rock-throwing attacks on vehicles in Jefferson County, Colorado, which caused injuries and damage in multiple incidents spanning from February to April 2023. Two co-defendants, Nicholas Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak, pleaded guilty to lesser charges and testified against Koenig, receiving sentences of 45 years and 32 years respectively. The sentencing hearing was emotional, with family members of Bartell expressing their grief and condemning Koenig's actions, highlighting the devastating impact on their lives. Despite the defense's argument that the acts did not amount to first-degree murder, the prosecution successfully argued that Koenig’s deliberate actions caused Bartell’s death. Judge Christopher Zenisek sentenced Koenig to 60 years consecutively plus the mandatory life sentence, emphasizing the profound tragedy experienced by the victim's family.