Homicide suspect was days away from serving jail time for sexual assault

It's a haunting timeline.

A 26-year-old man, Jacob Schadler, is charged with the murder of a woman in his grandparents' Brighton home. The incident happened six days before he was scheduled to report to jail for a previous offense.

That previous offense was a misdemeanor sexual assault. The victim in that case says she regrets the delays that were granted to Schadler (the case stretched over nearly three years). She believes the young woman who was killed would not have died had the reluctant Schadler not been allowed to string out the case. 

"I don't really feel justice was served," Shayna Duncan said. "My detective did every single thing they could to speed it up. It was just every single excuse in the book was used (to delay the case). I truly feel if my case was settled a month earlier, or even a week, he would be in jail and this woman would be alive."  

This woman is 26-year-old Dominica Quesada. Schadler's grandparents found the Lafayette woman's lifeless body in their home in the 15000 block of Iola Street on July 28. They called police at 4 a.m., and noted the grandmother's keys were missing from her purse and her car no longer in the driveway.

Quesada's body was on a couch in Schadler's bedroom, a front office which served for the playing of video games and featured multiple TV monitors on the wall. All of the monitors, according to Schadler's arrest affidavit, were shattered. One had a hammer sticking out of it. 

Investigators at the scene presumed Quesada died after being struck in the head with the same hammer, per the affidavit.

Schadler had been the last person seen with Quesada the night before and instantly became a suspect. 

Hours later, Schadler wrecked his grandmother's Kia in Castle Rock. He ran from the crash scene, according to a spokesperson from Castle Rock PD. Realizing the crashed car was related to a homicide case on the other side of the metro area, officers eventually located Schadler in downtown and took him into custody. 

Schadler was returned to Adams County where he now faces a first degree murder charge. 

Schadler had been arrested in October 2020 for the felony sexual assault against Duncan, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty. Trial dates were set but pushed back several times. 

Duncan, meanwhile, testified in a deposition. In retrospect, it wasn't fair, she said, since Schadler never did take the stand to account for his actions. 

"It's really hard to go through this justice system," Duncan said. "It was excruciating. I understand why people someone wouldn't want to go through it."  

The deposition was performed remotely due to COVID restrictions, Duncan added. But even with that bit of detachment, it still proved quite difficult. The truthfulness of everything she said was challenged. During examination, she began questioning herself.

"As a victim, there's always that little voice in my head: 'I said no, but maybe I'm exaggerating, maybe I'm seeking attention,'" Duncan explained. "But I said no. One hundred percent. There's no party of me that gave consent. (Being questioned by defense attorneys) makes you feel like you're less of a person."  

Undergoing the rape kit was traumatizing enough, Duncan added. 

In February, just days before his trial was to begin, Schadler reached a plea deal with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. He was sentenced in mid-May to 45 days in jail, 18 months probation, and almost $4,000 in fines. The judge allowed the jail sentence to be served with work release, a program which allows a person to leave a jail or facility for employment. 

But still, according to Duncan and court documents, Schadler continued to drag out the process.   

Two days before Schadler was to turn himself in and begin his work release jail term, he filed a filed a motion requesting his sentence be reduced to home confinement. He told the court he was suffering from anxiety as his jail term approached.

Schadler also never registered as a sex offender, as required by the court. 

A hearing on the motion was held July 19. At this point, Adams County District Court Judge Kyle Seedorf set tighter limits. 

"As the Court noted at the time of sentencing, Defendant did not indicate he understands the depth or scope of the harm he caused and did not demonstrate acceptance or accountability," Seedorf wrote. "Of additional concern, the Response notes Defendant has not complied with other terms of his sentence in the several weeks before he filed the Motion....Granting him in-home detention or a reduction in jail time is not warranted."

Seedorf denied the motion and withdrew the offer of work release. He ordered Schadler to report for that jail sentence on August 2, giving Shadler two weeks to get his affairs in order.

Quesada was killed eight days later. 

Duncan has spoken with Quesada's family. She intends to follow this new case to its end.

"I just really, really want justice for both of us."  

Schadler is still jailed on $1 million cash-only bond which was established during a hearing four days after his arrest. He is due to appear in court again on Sept. 8.