Colorado Leaders Get Involved In Hartley Case
DENVER (CBS4) - Several top Colorado lawmakers are asking the federal government to do more in the search for David Hartley's body.
According to Tiffany Hartley, who lives in northern Colorado, she and her husband were jet skiing eight months ago when armed men on boats opened fire on them, killing David. The incident happened on Falcon Lake, which is cut in half by the U.S./Mexico border. Tiffany says her husband was shot on the Mexican side of the lake and that those responsible are members of one of the drug cartels that operate in the area.
At the time -- Sept. 30, 2010 -- the couple lived in Texas but they had been planning to move back to live near friends and family in their native Colorado soon. Hartley moved back to this state after the incident.
Tiffany Hartley has been campaigning for the American government to do more to pressure the Mexican government and got a boost on Friday in the form of letters authored by Gov. John Hickenlooper. Three Congressmen from Colorado -- Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet and Rep. Cory Gardner -- also signed the letter, which was written after a private meeting between Hartley and the governor on Thursday.
The letters ask the State Department and Justice Department to push the Hartley case forward. Hartley says that in the months since her husband's murder, information about what's being done to solve the case has been nonexistant and she has only been left with more questions.
"We don't know if really there was a search done, they say there was but was there really? Was there really an investigation, is there an investigation on Mexico's side?," Hartley told CBS4.
The letters also highlight the need for a death certificate but that because the Mexican government hasn't recovered Hartley's remains, they won't issue the certificate.
"There seems to be just a lack of information, and I know the State Department had been working with the government of Mexico and I don't think they are pursuing it as rigorously as they should," Gardner told CBS4.
Gardner said he expects a response from the Federal and State departments in the next few weeks.
Hartley told CBS4 she's pleased that the governor and other leaders are stepping in to help.
"Meeting with us really spoke to me the most because just them taking the time to meet with me makes me feel important," she said.
LINK: Read the complete letters.
