Greeley – Police won’t say what may have brought the wives of two law enforcement officers together Tuesday night. But after shots were fired, one of them was dead and the other was arrested on suspicion of killing her. And a published report says the suspect and the victim’s husband were involved in an affair.
The accused – Shawna Louise Nelson, 35 – is married to Weld County sheriff’s investigator Ken Nelson. The victim – Heather Garraus, 37 – was married to Greeley police Officer Ignacio Garraus.
The Greeley Tribune reports that the victim’s husband had an affair with Nelson. According to the paper’s sources, Shawna Nelson had Ignacio Garraus’ child about 10 months ago, and the affair ended.
Police said that at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Garraus was shot in the parking lot of the Colorado State Employees Credit Union at 25th Street and 11th Avenue. Investigators later arrested Nelson and jailed her on suspicion of first-degree homicide.
Officials in Weld County and Greeley remained tight-lipped Wednesday about the shooting and declined to discuss a motive. All affidavits and investigatory records were sealed at the request of Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck.
At a news conference Wednesday night, Buck said he was “confident” that Nelson was the shooter and said he intended to file formal charges by Monday.
Although the victim and suspect are linked to law enforcement in the community, Greeley police and Buck’s office said they will not send the case to another agency to investigate and do not fear there is a conflict of interest.
“We have integrity and professionalism, and we are able to follow ethics,” Greeley Police Chief Jerry Garner said. “We are able to grieve for one of our people and still investigate.”
Weld County court records show the Nelsons filed for divorce last year, but the couple indicated they had decided to reconcile in August and had the case dismissed.
Heather Garraus was a supervisor at the credit union where she was killed. She was also the mother of a 9-year-old girl.
“It’s a pretty, pretty depressed place around the Greeley Police Department today,” the chief said.
Ignacio Garraus is on bereavement leave. The employment status of Ken Nelson was not revealed by the Weld County Sheriff’s Office.
“They are both grieving,” Buck said. “They have to explain to family members what is going on.”
Earlier Wednesday, Shawna Nelson made her first appearance in court and was told she would probably be charged with first-degree murder Monday. No bail was set.
Nelson’s leg chains clanged together as she walked into the courtroom. Red-eyed, she shook her head at her aunt and her sister who were sitting in the courtroom.
Nelson’s attorney, senior public defender Kevin Strobel, asked that a gag order be placed on the case. Judge Roger Klein said he would take up the matter Monday.
As Nelson was led from the courtroom, her aunt shouted, “Shawna, we still love you!” Nelson turned and whispered back, “Know you do.” Nelson’s relatives declined to give their names.
Several of Garraus’ co- workers at the credit union attended the hearing. They said they knew both women but declined to say what the motive for the shooting could have been.
“She didn’t have an enemy in the whole world,” Maria Valdez said of Garraus.
Another co-worker, Yvonne Younger, added, “She was wonderful, a beautiful spirit and a wonderful supervisor. She was just taken from us.”
Staff writer Demetria Gallegos contributed to this report.
