Jefferson County, Co. – On December 29, 2009, at approximately 5:40 p.m. the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a missing person call in Evergreen. The caller told deputies his ex-wife failed to show up at the scheduled time earlier in the day. This was unusual and out of character for the missing 44-year-old woman.
The deputies began contacting other relatives and friends in hopes they knew the whereabouts of the victim. Information obtained during the initial investigation led deputies to begin looking for Joel M. Herrin (dob 041365), a house cleaner. Joel has been cleaning the victim’s home for the past four years.
Deputies were able to locate Herrin’s apartment in Kittredge at about 10:40 p.m. As they were approaching the apartment the suspect opened the door and surrendered. The victim was found in the front room. She was distraught and told deputies that Herrin had kidnapped her from her home at about 10:30 in the morning.
Sheriff’s investigators now believe Herrin went to the victim’s home around 9:00 a.m. and started cleaning. When the victim started to leave for the day, Herrin knocked her to the floor and forced her into the bedroom. Once in the bedroom, the victim was handcuffed and her mouth was taped. A short time later Herrin carried the victim to his SUV and took her to his apartment. The victim was handcuffed and sexually assaulted in the apartment.
Herrin is currently in the Jefferson County jail facing charges of:
- 1st degree Kidnapping (F1)
- Unlawful Sexual Contact (F4)
- Felony Menacing (F5)
