Investigation: Landlord killed self when police found his renter's body
Boulder County detectives and prosecutors believe a man killed himself when he encountered a sheriff's deputy exploring his property where that man had apparently killed a tenant.
Robert Reid, 52, owned the home at 3907 Ridge Road east of Nederland. According to online public records, 61-year-old Timothy Crimmins lived at the same address.
Per the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, the two lived in separate structures there. Deputies had responded to 11 calls for service at that location in the first two and half months of the year.
"The two had lengthy, ongoing disputes regarding rent payments, possible evictions, and payments for work completed on the home," BCSO stated in a press release.
On March 16, members of Crimmins's family called the sheriff's office to ask for a welfare check at the residence.
"His family had not heard from him for several days," the sheriff's office stated.
Deputies responded and found a body hidden under a tarp outside of the home. As one deputy returned to his patrol car to retrieve equipment, he saw another vehicle nearby that had not been parked there when they first arrived.
That deputy called for additional backup.
After help arrived, deputies approached the car and found a man inside, dead due to an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. That man was later identified as Reid, the property owner.
The body under the tarp turned out to be his renter, Crimmins.
Inside Reid's car, investigators uncovered recently purchased cleaning supplies.
"Additional items near the body of Mr. Crimmins indicated that Mr. Reid was likely preparing to dispose of the victim's body and clean the crime scene," BCSO's press release stated.
BCSO's investigators searched the property and gathered evidence after obtaining a warrant. They interviewed friends, family and neighbors, as well as store workers where Reid purchased the cleaning products. They also compared Crimmins's injuries to a shotgun and ammunition owned by Reid.
BCSO investigators then presented their case to prosecutors from the 20th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The DA's Office agreed with its investigators conclusions, BCSO announced in its press release Thursday.
"Detectives determined Mr. Reid shot and killed Mr. Crimmins," it stated. "Mr. Reid left the home to obtain cleaning supplies and when he returned, he discovered sheriff's deputies were at the home, and took his own life.
"It appears that Mr. Reid acted alone in carrying out this tragic murder."