Arrest Made In Rancher's Murder: 'They Just Wouldn't Let It Go'
By Brian Maass
AGATE, Colo. (CBS4) - CBS4 has learned that investigators have made an arrest in a year-old Elbert County murder case.
Elbert County Sheriff Shayne Heap says investigators from his office and the district attorney's office have arrested Joe Robert Love, 26, in connection with a murder of a rancher in Agate more than a year ago.
Edward Butler was found dead at his home from a gunshot wound on Jan. 23, 2016. A web camera in the home captured pictures of the suspect that were publicized, but no immediate arrest was made.
Heap says investigators worked relentlessly on the case and on Jan. 19 Love was arrested in El Paso, Texas, where he is being held for investigation of first-degree murder. Heap says Love, who is in the military, has indicated he will fight extradition back to Colorado.
"Its real good news," Heap said when contacted by CBS4. "They just wouldn't let it go," he said of the tenacity of investigators from his office and the district attorney's office.
Although Heap declined to say what drew investigators to Love, he called it '"really good police work."
The sheriff said investigators from the prosecutor's office and his department traveled to Texas recently but he declined to say what information they got from Love.
Heap said law enforcement authorities in Colorado are working on extraditing Love back to Colorado.
LINK: Edward Butler's Obituary
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.
