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After
just over a week of trial, and four hours of deliberation, a Jefferson County jury today found
Michael James Wessel, DOB: 8-31-64, of Thornton, guilty in the
death of 82-year-old paleontologist Charles Repenning.
Mr.
Repenning was killed during a robbery at his Lakewood home in January
2005. Wessel was found guilty of First Degree
Murder-Felony Murder, Reckless Manslaughter, First Degree Burglary, Robbery of an At-Risk Adult, Theft from an At-Risk Adult,
Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft, Second Degree Burglary and three violent
crime counts, as well as a lesser non-included count of False Imprisonment
that was offered by the defense. Wessel will
serve life in prison without the possibility of parole for the First Degree
Murder and if sentenced to the maximum in each of the other cases, and if the
counts were to be served consecutively, his sentence could include an
additional 144 years in prison. His sentencing is set for February 9, at 8:00 in Division 5 of the Jefferson County District Court.
Wessel is the fourth person convicted, out of five who
were charged, in Mr. Repenning's death.
Richard Kasparson was found guilty by a jury in
October 2005 of First Degree Murder-Felony Murder, two counts First Degree
Burglary, Second Degree Burglary, Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft, two counts
of Theft of an At-Risk Adult, four violent crime counts. He will be
sentenced on January 27, at 1:00 in Division
5. Ginny Kasparson, his wife, pled guilty to
Accessory to Murder, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Theft by Receiving,
Providing False Information to a Pawn Broker and Conspiracy to Commit Second
Degree Burglary. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 23, at 8:00. Nicholas Savajian pled
guilty to Second Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit First Degree
Burglary. He is set to be sentenced on February 10, at 1:00, also in Division 5. The fifth alleged participant is
Michael Mapps, who is alleged to have come up with
the idea of the burglary in the first place. He has pled not guilty and
is set for trial on April, 25, 2006.
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