Fugitive connected with 2025 death in Northern Colorado arrested in California

Authorities have arrested a man whom they say fled the country after a suspicious death in Northern Colorado last year.

Last year, Loveland police officers began investigating what they initially believed to be a natural death, but noticed some inconsistencies in a witness's statement. Investigators discovered a history of domestic violence involving the suspect, David Whaley, and the victim and said the two were involved in a physical altercation on the day the victim died.

The Loveland Police Department says they interviewed Whaley again and sought an arrest warrant when the coroner's autopsy report was completed, but Whaley fled the country before the warrant was finalized.

Detectives recently learned that Whaley planned to return to the United States and coordinated with federal and California authorities to have him arrested. The LPD says police in California were waiting for Whaley when he arrived and took him into custody.

Whaley was extradited from California and had a hearing on Monday, the LPD said. According to Larimer County Jail records, his bond was set at a $500,000 cash-only bond.

Court records show that Whaley is facing two counts of assault-extreme indifference, one count of assault-strangulation and one count of violation of a protection order from an incident that took place on Feb. 9, 2025. The records show that a complaint was filed on Jan. 8 of this year, and a warrant was issued for his arrest on Jan. 14. They also show that he was detained on Aug. 1 and booked into the Larimer County Jail on Aug. 23.

Whaley's next court date is scheduled for Sept. 1.