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Joseph Koenig is charged with first-degree murder in the April 2023 death of Alexa Bartell.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The final suspect charged in the killing of a woman who died when a rock was thrown through her windshield as she drove near the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in 2023 will undergo a mental health evaluation after his defense brought up the issue of insanity late last month.
Alexa Bartell, 20, was killed on April 19, 2023. At the time, she was on the phone with a friend, and the line went silent. Her friend tracked down her phone and drove to the location to find Bartell dead inside her car, which was off the roadway in a field.
Nicholas Karol-Chik, Zachary Kwak and Joseph Koenig were all arrested in connection with her death several days later.
Koenig appeared in court Tuesday morning where it was revealed that his defense team raised the issue of insanity in a motion on June 27. Typically that type of issue is brought forward sooner, but the judge ruled the defense could move forward.
As part of his ruling, he noted that not allowing the defense could result in a likely appeal and possible retrial.
“It’s better to do it right the first time,” Judge Christopher Zenisek said at the hearing.
He ordered that Koenig undergo a mental health evaluation which will be done at a facility chosen by the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo. Koenig’s trial dates were vacated due to the mental health evaluation.
New dates won’t be set until after the court receives the results. According to court testimony on Tuesday, it could be eight weeks to several months before an evaluation is even done due to backlogs.
Each of the three suspects was initially charged with first-degree murder, but Kwak and Karol-Chick have pleaded guilty.
Karol-Chik pleaded guilty in May to second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and a crime of violence sentence enhancer. His bond was revoked and all other counts were dismissed. Kwak pleaded guilty earlier to first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and attempted second-degree assault. Thirteen counts were dismissed and Kwak’s bond was revoked.
Both were set to be sentenced in September, after the trial of Koenig because they were required to cooperate with that production as a condition of their pleas.
Koenig is still facing a first-degree murder charge and additional charges related to other incidents that prosecutors allege he was involved in prior to Bartell’s death.
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Koenig is now set to appear in court in late August for a review hearing.
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