Christopher Moffat Arrested For Murder Of Girlfriend, Veronica Sarinana; Allegedly Tried To Frame Brother
ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - A man with a history of violence against his girlfriend is believed by police to have murdered her. A warrant was filed by investigators with the Arvada Police Department on Wednesday accusing Christopher Moffat, 36, of homicide in the death 38-year-old Veronica Sarinana last month.
Police documents obtained by CBS4 describe how Moffat allegedly placed Sarinana's body in his brother's car, then called police anonymously and implicated his brother in her death.
"It is definitely not a hoax, I know my brother," a man can be overhead saying in a 911 recording on June 19, according to the arrest affidavit.
Following the call, Arvada police officers found Sarinana's body in the back seat of a white Ford Escort sedan parked near a residence in the 6400 block of Welch Court. She was covered with trash bags and a rolled-up carpet.
People living at that particular residence, including Moffat's brother, told police they had packed the long broken-down Escort with trash in anticipation of its towing. They found her purse on their front porch that morning, but were unaware Sarinana's body was inside the car.
Through interviews and surveillance video, investigators built a case which disputes Moffat's claim that his brother killed her in a fit of jealously. In fact, evidence shows Christopher Moffat was the last person with Sarinana, and he allegedly killed her while accusing her of cheating on him with his brother.
The medical examiner determined Sarinana was strangled, which would fit a pattern of alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of Moffat.
According to the arrest affidavit, Sarinana previously told investigators that Moffat "had been physical over 100 times" during their relationship.
"Veronica stated Christopher's most common assaultive technique was to force her down on her back and cover her mouth and nose with his hand, preventing her from breathing," the affidavit reads. "The first time Christopher strangled her, she lost consciousness."
Moffat was arrested in January and April of this year for assaults against Sarinana. The April assault was committed the day after charges were dismissed from the January arrest.
Moffat pleaded guilty to felony assault in the April case and received a sentence of three years probation. Sarinana was then granted a protection order against Moffat. But on June 18, she was seen on surveillance video buying a room at a hotel in Silverton. Moffat was with her. He was wearing a gray printed T-shirt over a white collared shirt.
Moffat told police the pair left the room and drank beer beside Lake Dillon. Moffat told police said they argued, mostly about their relationship. She would not leave with him. Moffat agreed to drop her off at her brother's townhome in Arvada.
Police discovered Sarinana buying the beer on a liquor store's surveillance system. It was the last time she was seen alive by anyone other than Moffat.
That evening, Moffat's brother began receiving text messages from Sarinana's cellphone. They were provocative in nature.
"Last night was awesome!!"
"I want you to get rough with me again!!"
"I'm gonna let your brother use my car, in close see you soon!!"
Investigators imply in the affidavit that Moffat may have been responsible for the texts. (Note: Moffat's brother admitted to investigators that he and Sarinana were intimate once while Moffat was in jail.)
Later, after 1 a.m. in Arvada, a man matching Moffat's description -- 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, red facial hair, and wearing a gray T-shirt over a white collared shirt -- was seen on a neighbor's surveillance video approaching the Welch Court residence.
He left a purse on the porch.
Moffat was eventually found in a Walmart parking lot in Glenwood Springs that same night. He was behind the wheel of Sarinana's car.
Moffat was booked into the Garfield County Jail and has been there since.
Arvada investigators received the coroner's strangulation decision Tuesday and filed the homicide warrant Wednesday. Moffat will be soon be moved from Garfield to Jefferson County's jail in anticipation of the formal filing of charges. No court date has been scheduled.
