A Colorado man who was involved in a “brutal” random attack was taken off life support and later died.
According to a news release issued on Facebook by Westminster, Colorado police, a 34-year-old man, identified by his wife as Jonny George, was attacked outside a Circle K gas station on the evening of Oct. 20 while celebrating his wedding anniversary.
Erika Haithe, George’s wife, told CBS Colorado that she and her husband planned to celebrate their fifth anniversary by spending a nice night at home watching movies. At around 7:00 p.m. local time, the father of two went to the adjacent Circle K, which is located at the corner of 121st Ave. and Huron St. in Westminster, to get some cigarettes.
“Which he does quite often, and he’s always returned, and he never returned,” Halte said.
She stated that her calls to George did not go through, so she thought that her husband had walked to his family’s home nearby.
“So I just went to bed in hopes of waking up with him next to me in the morning,” she recalled, adding that when she contacted George’s phone again in the morning, a nurse at St. Anthony’s Hospital answered and informed her that George had been airlifted in with extensive injuries.
“I was so unhappy that I fell asleep. I started to feel a lot of remorse. Halte told CBS Colorado, “I was so sad that I couldn’t be with him; I wasn’t there.”
According to NBC affiliate station News 9, as well as a GoFundMe update sent by his wife, George underwent emergency brain surgery and was hospitalized for three weeks with skull fractures before doctors declared him brain dead due to two brain bleeds. On November 10, he was taken off life support, and his organs were donated.
The man’s family described the incident as “brutal” in a letter on the GoFundMe page, where more than $16,000 has been gathered to pay for medical bills and assist George.
Halte told CBS Colorado that her late husband’s wallet and phone were not seized during the incident. She also told News 9 that George called 911 before being attacked to report a disturbance, but then told authorities not to come because he thought he’d be able to get home safely.
“There were no defense wounds, no nothing; it was all straight in the head. He’s not one for confrontations, you know. Halte told CBS Colorado, “He’s more of a helper than anything.”
Police stated no formal cause of death has been identified, but the Adams County Coroner will disclose it as soon as it is available.
Police stated no one had been arrested in the matter. According to News 9, investigators have not yet formally ruled the case a homicide, and because no security camera footage of the incident exists, authorities are requesting assistance from the public.
“Anyone who has witnessed this incident or has more information is asked to contact the Westminster Police Department at 303-658-4360,” the agency announced on its Facebook page. “Tipsters can also remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward up to $2,000 by calling Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867).”
Halte, who married George in 2019 and raised their own children as a blended family before welcoming their son Jonathan Jr. together, is devastated by the loss.
“I always call him my left-hand man and I’m his right-hand woman because he’s left-handed and I’m right-handed,” Halte tells CBS Colorado.
“It baffles me that somebody would want to do that,” she told me. “I’m not sure why.” “It’s disgusting.”