More than 100 friends and family of missing Coloradan David Hartley stood on a sidewalk outside the Mexican Consulate today chanting “Bring David Home” and “Justice for Hartley.”
David’s sister Nikki Hartley and his sister-in-law Tia Young joined in a march from Four Mile Park to the consulate at 5350 Leetsdale Drive at 1 p.m. The two later met with Consulate General Eduardo Arnal.
“We’re encouraged that we have a line of communication open,” Hartley said following the hour-long meeting. “They were accommodating to our questions.”
Marchers wore matching red t-shirts emblazoned with “Bring David Home.”
“Hey guys,” yelled Kevin Pollock, 30, who knew David Hartley since they were in preschool together in Loveland. “We’re only here for one reason and that’s to bring David home.”
Mexican and U.S. federal agents are investigating a report by David Hartley’s wife Tiffany that they were attacked while riding WaveRunners on Falcon Reservoir to a Mexican church south of the U.S. border and that David was shot and killed.
“My opinion of the Mexican government is they have been uncooperative,” Pollock said.
But in an interview following the march, Arnal said his country is doing its utmost to find David Hartley’s body and is conducting a thorough investigation.
“We will spare no technical or human resources to find David,” he said. “Starting on the day of the incident we have been working with U.S. authorities.”
He said the Mexican Army, Navy and federal and local police are involved in a very thorough search.
Dispelling earlier statements by some Mexican police and prosecutors questioning the veracity of Tiffany Young-Hartley’s explanation of the shooting, Arnal said Mexican investigators are not doubting her story.
“The Mexican authorities do not prejudge the outcome of the investigation and do not pretend to know the motives of Mrs. Hartley,” he said.
Several friends and family members of David Hartley said they are skeptical that Mexican authorities have done all they could in part because of dangerous conditions on the border.
“Mexican police are afraid to conduct searches because of threats to their safety,” Hartley said.
Family friend Shelly Edwards said that it’s apparent the cartels are in control on the border.
“I’m just shocked,” she said of David Hartley’s shooting. “You never think of something like this happening. I’d like to see our government get more involved.”
Arnal said part of the problem is that when U.S. citizens buy illegal drugs they fuel the violence and murders. Cartels buy rocket launchers and other heavy weaponry with drug money.
“This is the largest market in the world for drugs,” he said. “It’s a problem that needs to be solved with international cooperation. We need to work together to defeat these criminals.”
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
