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54-year-old John Salazar and 29-year-old Sarah Beasley were shot on the morning of February 12, 2012. Monte Vista police responded to a 911 call and discovered the bodies. Salazar was found outside the home, while Beasley was shot inside in front of her three sons, ages 8, 6, and 2.
According to The Denver Post report dated July 28, 2021, Daniel Bessey was identified as the suspect. Daniel Bessey had previously been in a relationship with Sarah Beasley and shared a child with her. The case will be re-examined in Fatal Family Feuds on Oxygen season 2, which sheds light on how personal conflicts within families can spiral into violence.
A detailed timeline of events leading to Sarah Beasley and John Salazar’s murders explained
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In February 2012, law enforcement in Monte Vista, Colorado, responded to a distress call from a quiet residential street. What they found was a double homicide that would not only disturb the local community but eventually become the focus of Fatal Family Feuds on Oxygen season 2.
The victims, John Salazar and Sarah Beasley, were found shot dead at their shared home on Lyell Street. Salazar, a school custodian, was discovered in the driveway, while Sarah Beasley was killed inside her home, in the presence of her three children, ages 8, 6, and 2.
As per a Washington Times report dated December 24, 2014, authorities learned that Sarah Beasley had a previous relationship with Daniel Bessey.
The two shared a child, and custody disagreements had grown increasingly tense. On the morning of February 12, Bessey allegedly shot Salazar as he left for work and then entered the house and shot Sarah Beasley.
Initial observations at the scene suggested a possible drug link. According to a 9News report dated February 14, 2012, investigators noted the phrase “My drugs are not free” spray-painted on the house. However, toxicology tests came back clean for both victims.
Detectives began to suspect the graffiti was staged to mislead the investigations and distract them from the real motive.
Evidence trail and arrest
As the investigation moved forward, detectives turned their attention to Daniel Bessey. During interviews, Bessey claimed he was in Montrose, Colorado, during the time of the murders, roughly three hours away from Monte Vista.
However, cellphone records told a different story. As per The Cinemaholic report dated April 9, 2021, data showed his phone had pinged off a tower near Gunnison, much closer to the crime scene.
Along with the cell tower evidence, investigators recovered a flashlight at the scene. Prosecutors later argued that the item could be linked directly to Bessey. Though the murder weapon was never found, the combination of digital and physical evidence built a compelling case against him.
Almost a year later, on January 5, 2013, Daniel Bessey was arrested in Oklahoma on a warrant related to the double homicide.
During the trial, additional details came to light. One of Sarah Beasley’s sons told authorities he saw a masked figure shoot his mother and signal him to stay quiet. According to The Pueblo Chieftain report dated December 23, 2014, Bessey was also charged with multiple counts of child abuse and reckless endangerment for committing the murders in front of the children.
Bessey was convicted in December 2014 of two counts of first-degree murder, along with burglary, criminal mischief, and other charges. He was sentenced to two life terms without parole and an additional 32 years, to be served consecutively. He is currently held at Fremont Correctional Facility in Cañon City, Colorado, as per reports by The Cinemaholic.
A link to another unsolved case
Following Bessey's arrest, a separate investigation was revisited in Saguache County, Colorado. The cold case involved the 2008 murder of Brenda Kay Shepard, whose remains were found burned in a barrel.
As per The Mountain Mail report dated May 29, 2023, Saguache County Sheriff Mike Norris confirmed that Bessey had lived with Shepard and had once been considered a person of interest in her death.
After the Monte Vista double homicide arrest, Norris stated:
“With the latest information, it makes us interested in pursuing more information to find out if there are any correlations.”
While Daniel Bessey has not been charged in the 2008 case, the connection between both victims being former partners raised renewed suspicions. The proximity of the events further fueled these concerns. In both instances, the alleged motive centred around fractured personal relationships, an underlying theme that Fatal Family Feuds on Oxygen aims to explore.
Stay tuned for more updates.
