The teen accused of killing a Mesa County Sheriff’s deputy told investigators that as he struggled with he tried to shoot himself before firing into the deputy’s face, according to an arrest warrant released on Tuesday.
“He thought I was trying to shoot him and I was trying to shoot myself and then I tried to shoot him and it got to him and I said, dude, you’re gonna get (expletive) shot … and I cocked it back again and shot him three times in the face,” , 17, told an investigator following his capture last week in the backyard of a Grand Junction home.
Holzer, who was wanted for violating provisions of his probation for a sex offense, feared going to jail.
“I’ve been in jail, and I (expletive) hated it. Hated all my life. I’d rather run than get caught by a cop. That’s why I wanted him to shoot me … I was like, just shoot me, please, just please. He wouldn’t do it.”
Geer was questioning Holzer after receiving a report of someone with a gun in the area.
Holzer told investigators that he had been firing rounds from a .22 caliber hand gun, when someone called law enforcement.
He knew that he would go to prison as a pedophile, he told investigators.
The “origninating charge was the incest charge,” according to the warrant.
He also admitted to being a drug user, taking methamphetamine daily, and sometimes using cocaine mixed with methamphetamine, and regularly smoking marijuana.
Geer was shot in the face, chest and hand, and one bullet hit his vest, the warrant said.
The 15-year veteran of the sheriff’s office was a married father of two children.
Geer was taken off life support last Wednesday. His was Monday.
Holzer was originally charged as a juvenile with attempted murder, but has since been charged as an adult. He faces charges of first-degree murder of a peace officer, first-degree assault, tampering with evidence, failure to register as a sex offender and other charges.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671, tmcghee@denverpost.com or @dpmcghee
