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Jason Schaefer was the tragic focal point of a gripping crime that unfolds in episode 7 of the true crime show, A Plan to Kill. The episode airs on Oxygen on December 8, 2024, at 7 pm ET, and delves into the disturbing events leading up to his untimely death.
Jason Schaefer, a 33-year-old male identified as a USPS postal worker, was shot several times on October 13, 2021, on Heatherhill Street by Renaissance Drive. Devan Schreiner, his then 26-year-old ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, of Fort Collins, was indicted on charges of first-degree murder. Later, Andrew Ritchie, Devan's then-boyfriend was found guilty by a jury and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
As stated by The Denver Post on September 29, 2023,
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"According to an affidavit, just after 12:30 p.m. Oct.13, 2021, Schaefer was shot three times next to his postal delivery van, near a cluster of mailboxes on Heatherhill Street just west of Renaissance Drive."
The series on Oxygen looks into details of his murder and the investigation that followed. The episode is expected to illuminate the real-life crime that puzzles investigators.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from A Plan to Kill. Reader's discretion is advised.
Jason Schaefer’s death: What happened?
Initially, the police suspected that the crime was an act of domestic violence. Later, it was found that two weeks before the shooting, Schreiner was fired from her job at the Longmont post office due to a dispute with Schaefer. Moreso, two days before the crime, Schaefer had filed court documents seeking the modification of his parental time.
According to an affidavit, Devan then started working for the U.S. Postal Service in Loveland. The agency’s GPS showed tracking stopped for both Schreiner and her vehicle during the time of Schaefer’s murder.
As the trial continued further details came out and a September 29, 2023, post by The Denver Post stated,
"Schreiner approached her ex-boyfriend, who was working at a row of mailboxes, and she shot him three times, including once in the face. They said Andrew James "AJ" Ritchie, Shreiner’s boyfriend, helped her plan the murder after Schaefer filed for additional custody of the child he shared with Schreiner.
Early life and background of Jason Schaefer
Driven by success, Jason was renowned for being a friendly and aspirational person. HOA president Tom Lawson described him as someone who would go out of his way to help residents by hand-delivering mail to residents who could not get to their mailboxes.
His family described him as a loving, thoughtful, and encouraging son. Jason's sudden death is all the more enigmatic since, before the sad event, there were no indications that his life was in danger. The incident shooting took place at midday in the Somerset Meadows neighborhood.
As it is mentioned:
"Police say a person approached the mail carrier, later identified as Jason Schaefer, while he was at a group of neighborhood mailboxes on Heatherhill Street by Renaissance Drive, shot him several times and then ran off. That suspect was reportedly last wearing dark clothing, a hooded sweatshirt and a blue mask. Schaefer died at the scene."
While the investigation was going on, detectives reported that a missing hubcap led surveillance cameras to Schreiner's SUV. It was parked on Renaissance Drive near the shooting. A person walked towards Schaefer, then fired and fled. Later, the SUV drove away. Initially described as a man in a dark hoodie and blue mask, Ritchie's phone photo identified Schreiner.
Investigations into Jason Schaefer’s murder
The police began their investigation as soon as Jason Schaefer's body was found. It was hard for the police to figure out what the killer was up to at first. But as they looked further, the detectives found a web of secrets.
Soon, they learned that Jason's killer was someone he knew and that the killing wasn't random. Police claimed that his ex-girlfriend, Schreiner shot Schaefer several times while he was walking among a collection of neighborhood mailboxes on Heatherhill Street by Renaissance Drive and then fled.
Along with Longmont police, the FBI and the US Postal Service searched for the suspect, ending the hunt overnight.
As CBS News Colorado states:
"Police believe Schreiner approached Schaefer while he was at a group of neighborhood mailboxes on Heatherhill Street by Renaissance Drive, shot him several times and then ran off. Schaefer died at the scene."
The Killer’s motive: Why was Jason Schaefer targeted?
As the investigation follows, it becomes clearer why Jason was killed. In 2023, as the trial went on, many other details came to light. As mentioned in a news by Longmont Leader on Mar 7, 2023,
"Two weeks before the shooting, Schreiner had been fired from her job at the post office in Longmont over a dispute with Schaefer, according to the affidavit. She then began working for the U.S. Postal Service in Loveland, and the agency’s GPS showed tracking stopped for both Schreiner and her postal vehicle during the time of Schaefer’s murder, according to the affidavit."
Further, it stated,
"The defense said Schreiner was corrupted by Ritchie, but Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty called Schreiner a "cold-blooded murderer."
The police suspected that the killer had been planning the murder for a long time, which set the stage for a shocking development in the case. The killing of Jason was not an act of passion but of calculated evil by Devan and her boyfriend Andrew Ritchie.
As CBS News Colorado mentioned:
"Online public records indicate Schreiner was involved in an ongoing child custody dispute with a 33-year-old Longmont man."
Arrest and trial of Jason Schaefer’s murderer
After identifying the killer, police immediately arrested Devan and Andrew Ritchie. The community sought justice for Jason during the tense and emotional trial. Court details shocked the public and revealed the killer's motives. Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty stated in September 2023, as mentioned by The Denver Post,
“These two robbed Jason’s family and U.S. Postal colleagues of a beloved son, father, and friend. Since the first hours after Jason’s murder, I have been deeply grateful for the strong partnership between the Longmont Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspectors, and our team.”
Expressing how Jason's family was destroyed, a March 2023 report on Longmont Leader stated,
In a victim impact statement read by prosecutors, Schaefer's mother called her son's murder a "living nightmare." She said her family's lives have been "destroyed forever," and that her grandson, now 7, is living with relatives in Connecticut.
The premiere of episode 7 of A Plan to Kill will take place at 7/6c on Oxygen. The show premieres on Sunday, December 8, 2024.
