BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. – The 15-year-old who is accused off fatally stabbing a young woman in the Colorado city of Longmont had a kill list, according to the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office.
Police said the teen used a hunting knife to kill Makayla Grote, a 2016 Green Mountain High School graduate, late Saturday night and was a mile away from the third person on his list when police arrested him early Sunday morning, according to KDVR.
The details about the kill list were revealed in a Boulder County courtroom on Monday. Police say they found the list while searching his bedroom.
The very first name on that list was actually that of Makayla Grote's sister, the prosecution said, but notes found in his room also said that anyone in the home would be fair game.
According to the affidavit, the suspect had knocked on the victim's door at 11 a.m. on Saturday asking for a jump for his car.
He then returned. Makayla answered the door and that's when police say the 15-year-old stabbed her. The prosecution says the suspect chased Makayla's sister through the apartment, but she managed to escape by locking herself in a bedroom.
Police also revealed that the suspect was known to them – he had previously been arrested for assaulting his grandfather on one occasion. Another time, his mother also called police on him and responding officers found Molotov cocktails at the home, according to KDVR.
Makayla's father told KDVR his daughter was a special girl to a lot of people. She was well known in the racing community in Colorado and was an aspiring NASCAR driver.
A statement issued Monday by Colorado National Speedway addressed Grote's death, calling her one of the racing family's "brightest stars."
A Jefferson County Public Schools statement sent to parents of students at Green Mountain High School in October assured student safety at the school is a priority. The letter was sent after the student involved in the murder had begun threatening current students.
Dear Green Mountain High School Families,
There has been an incident of a former GMHS student making threats towards current GMHS students. Students reported this incident to school administration and local law enforcement.
Both Jeffco Public Schools security staff and local law enforcement quickly intervened and the student that made the threats is currently detained.
As you know, student safety is a priority. Keeping our students and staff safe, communicating with our families about school issues, as well as respecting student rights and privacy, are core to our values at Green Mountain High School.
Because we want to protect student privacy, we cannot share any details about the incident. However, I want to assure you we are aware and that we are taking action.
In addition to dealing with the individual students involved in the incidents, I’d like you to know that should a student need a trusted adult to talk to about concerns for themselves or others, we are here.
Please take some time to remind your student that any potential safety concerns should be reported to you and to the school, no matter how insignificant they believe it might be.
Students may also call the Safe2Tell program to report safety concerns anonymously at 877-542-7233, or report online at http://safe2tell.org/.
We realize it is unusual to receive these types of messages, but we felt it was important to engage parents.
We all must work together to ensure the physical and emotional safety of our students. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 303-982-9500. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Coleen Owens
Principal
The teen suspect will be back in court Wednesday morning – it's not yet clear whether or not he'll be charged as an adult. The suspect is not being named at this time because of his age.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to establish the Makayla Grote Memorial Fund.
The Colorado National Speedway issued this statement:
On Saturday, November 18th, 2017 the Colorado National Speedway racing family lost one of its brightest young stars.
Driver Makayla Grote, just 20 years old, was known to all at the Speedway where she practically grew up turning wrenches and grinding fenders with elite racers from around the country.
Makayla discovered her passion for racing while competing in Go Karts at a very young age, but truly began to blossom in her sport when she entered the Pure Stock Division at CNS.
Never was there a better ambassador for her sport, as Makayla was proof that anyone can achieve their dreams with hard work and dedication.
If you wanted to find Makayla on a Saturday night, look no further than the Hot Pits at CNS, where she could always be found competing in her own race car, helping a fellow race car with theirs, or standing behind a video camera when she couldn’t get her hands dirty on a car.
Behind the wheel of the car she built (and re-built) with her family, Makayla was respected by her fellow drivers and consistently placed in the top ten in both the Pure Stock and Super Stock Divisions.
In late 2017, Makayla made the jump to the Grand American Modified Division, and was looking forward to building upon her experience at an advanced level.
Off of the track, Makayla was a humble and generous soul who gave without any thought of herself.
Her kind and tender heart was worn on her sleeve, and despite balancing both a full time schedule of college courses and racing, Makayla still made time to volunteer in her community and organize special events for children in need.
Her smile was infectious and blindingly bright, and even among her competitors and rivals, she was known for her compassion.
The Sportsman of the Year award is generally given only to those in the racing community who demonstrate the very finest moral fiber in every aspect of the Sport. Such was her character that Makayla won it twice in her short racing career.
The racing community is more than just a network of people who can’t wait to turn left. We are a family. Today, our family grieves as we mourn the loss of a Daughter any family would be proud to call their own. Makayla Grote was loved deeply, and will be missed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Grote Family at this difficult time. A GoFundMe page has been established in Makayla’s name, and donations are greatly appreciated.
