A 35-year-old Breckenridge man who allegedly made a suicide pact with his former wife but only killed her has been charged with first-degree murder by the Denver district attorney’s office.
The charge alleges that on Oct. 18, Keenu Tiyme rented a motel room in Denver where he killed 39-year-old Kauri Tiyme, also of Breckenridge.
Neither of the Tiymes have criminal records. According to court records, they jointly asked for dissolution of their marriage in May and represented themselves before Summit County District Judge Terry Ruckriegle.
The marriage was formally dissolved in August.
Investigators allege that information in the room indicated that the couple had made a suicide pact and planned to kill themselves.
Kauri Tiyme’s body was discovered the day after she died by a housekeeper at the motel and authorities began a search for Keenu Tiyme.
On Oct. 22, he was spotted by the New Mexico State Police near Maxwell, N.M., and was captured after Tiyme lost control of his car during a police chase.
Tiyme was treated for his injuries at Swedish Medical Center in Denver and was later booked into the Denver County Jail where he is being held without bond.
Denver investigators interviewed Tiyme shortly after he was released from the hospital.
He said that his former wife told him she was depressed and wanted to die. She asked him to kill her in the least painful manner, Detective Daniel Wiley said in an arrest affidavit.
The understanding, Tiyme told Wiley, was that he would kill himself as well.
During the course of two weeks, the pair discussed various ways of killing themselves, including using guns and jumping off bridges or balconies, according to the arrest affidavit.
They ultimately decided to check into the motel. There, Tiyme told detectives, he tried to kill her in a number of ways, including strangling her, cutting her arms and thighs, hitting her in the head multiple times and cutting her throat.
After killing her, he washed her body, taped her wounds and placed her in bed with her hands crossed at the waist.
Detectives found notes in the room in which Keenu Tiyme described the suicide pact.
“This all started as a Suicide Pact and I did what I could to ensure Kauri and I succeeded,” he wrote. “Feeling so out of it depressed sad sad and lonely, the only thing making me happy right now is knowing Kauri is no longer dealing with these feelings.”
In the notes, Keenu Tiyme said he left his ex-wife’s body in the motel room because it seemed “best” and because jumping from a balcony “seemed wrong.” He didn’t want to make a scene, Tiyme said.
Tiyme said he tried to kill himself by taking mouse poison and Drano but it didn’t work. He ruled out hanging himself.
Tiyme said Kauri had no family and that he was born Patrick Vincent Williams. He said he and his ex-wife changed their names legally five years ago.
Police said that in the motel room they saw blood-stained bedding, two bottles of Drano drain cleaner and the notes.
Tiyme is scheduled to appear tomorrow in Denver County Court to be advised of the charge.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
