EAGLE — Pedro Gonzalez savagely beat Dita Richterova. Gonzalez admitted it and security video showed him doing it.
A jury spent four hours Wednesday afternoon, June 6, determining that Gonzalez was also guilty of trying to kill her. Along with assault, the jury of eight women and four men found him guilty of attempted first-degree murder.
Gonzalez shifted his weight slightly when the verdict was read. Richterova exhaled with deep relief.
“The community was appropriately and justly served today by the verdict,” Assistant District Attorney Heidi McCollum said following the verdict. “Ms. Ricterova was able to get her day in court. She’s amazing. She’s one of the strongest women I know.”
The Brush Creek Saloon security video clearly showed Gonzalez ambushing and beating Richterova for almost two full minutes, from 1:18 a.m. to 1:20 a.m., July 24, 2017, while she was working alone and trying to close the saloon. He first hit her in the forehead with a beer bottle, then his fists, then kicks and strangulation.
Gonzalez claimed he meant to hurt Richterova, but not kill her. He said he was depressed and missed his wife and family in Mexico, that he was drunk and that he went off after Richterova called him an “effing wetback.”
Richterova testified that she said no such thing. The Czech Republic native said she had never heard the word.
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