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Case Outlined Against Machete Attack Suspect

DENVER (CBS4) - Prosecutors are outlining their case against a man accused of using a machete in an attack.

Tyrus Vanmatre
Tyrus Vanmatre (credit: Summit County Sheriff)

Investigators say Tyrus Walter Vanmatre, 20, and Brody Olson, 16, who will be tried as an adult, lured their victim to the mountains of Summit County where they say they attacked J.J. Jellis with machetes, leaving him with wounds to his face, head and hands and almost killing him.

J.J. Jellis
J.J. Jellis (credit: CBS)

Jellis fought back during the attack with a knife and was later found by a deputy walking down a road in Summit County.

In court on Wednesday a recording by Summit County detectives was heard with Vanmatre while he was in the hospital with injuries from the altercation that happened during the crime. He told the detectives the plan was to do some LSD and scare Jellis and "mess with him a little bit." But that's not what played out.

In cross examination of a detective a defense attorney brought up the fact that it was a second recording without acknowledgment and it happened in the last 15 minutes of a 3-hour interview, making the point that it was just what the detectives wanted to hear.

Vanmatre admitted he had bought a stun gun and machetes months before he even met Jellis, but a true motive is still ambiguous. Detectives and Jellis think Vanmatre may have been after Jellis' money. So far the stories don't match up.

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