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Man Accused Of Stealing From Corpse Says It Was About Survival

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CBS4) - A Craig couple accused of stealing from a murder-suicide scene in Grand County may face new charges this week.

On Monday suspect Jerod Reeves defended his actions to CBS4.

"I just want to stop the madness I guess," said Reeves, 29.

The situation started around Dec. 16. Reeves says he and his girlfriend Kimberly McCaffery, 35, found a white van at the end of a remote road.

"I knew there was something in it," Reeves said.

Inside was an apparent murder-suicide scene. William Ahrold, a 62-year-old father from Denver, is thought to have had killed his 9-year-old autistic son and then himself.

Reeves might have reported the incident but he says he and McCaffery were homeless and had other plans. He says they stole everything he could.

"Why? Out of money, food ... out of gas, everything. And he's not going to need it," he said.

Police say the pair took money, credit cards, an iPhone and even sawed off two fingers on the man's hand so they could take the gun.

Jerod Reeves & Kimberly McCaffery
Jerod Reeves & Kimberly McCaffery (credit: Grand Co. Sheriff's Office)

"It was either that or shoot myself. Why? Because of the way the gun was pointed and his hands were froze. And I couldn't get the gun out of his hands. If I did I would have shot myself in the knees," he said.

"Guns are worth money, and I didn't get any money for it but I shouldn't have took that. I should have left that there."

"Because it's a murder weapon."

When word got out that McCaffery and Reeves were suspected of tampering with the crime scene, they fled. Eventually they were caught in Washington state.

On Monday the pair appeared before a Grand County judge on a wide range of felonies, including tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.

"We've discussed a couple of different charges that could be added, so as soon as I get their reports I'll be able to make that determination," Deputy District Attorney Heather Stein said.

Reeves told CBS4 he thinks he has learned his lesson and wants to move on. However, he never showed any remorse during his interview with CBS4.

"(I don't plan) to look for no more vans out in the wild," he said, joking.

Ahrold and his son were last seen Dec. 9 before their bodies were discovered.

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