Where is Colby Trickle now? Details explored ahead of 48 Hours on ID

Colby Trickle was convicted of killing his wife, Kristen Trickle, in 2023, four years after her death. He currently sits in the Ellsworth Correctional Facility in Kansas, serving out a life sentence for the crime. The case received widespread attention due to its sensational nature and the investigation into it.

Initially, Kristen Trickle's death was determined as suicide, but inconsistent evidence called for further probing. The subsequent investigation proved that it was murder and Colby was behind it; he then got arrested and sentenced to life.

A 48 Hours episode on ID covers the case story in detail by showing several aspects that led to Colby's imprisonment. The episode Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind was re-aired on October 6, 2024, on the Investigation Discovery (ID) channel. The episode covers the psychological aspects of the investigation and some of its forensic features.

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The investigation for Kristen Trickle's death unfolds, leading to suspicions about Colby Trickle

The police began an investigation into Kristen Trickle's death with suspicion. Although Colby Trickle's initial report stated that Kristen killed herself, there were several inconsistencies in the report. Kristen was found naked in her underwear, which is unusual for a suicide case.

Moreover, the gun seemed large for Kristen. Many other pieces of evidence shifted the police's attention to Colby Trickle's actions and words. It was made known in the investigation that further details were disturbing. Experts, using forensic analysis, found that the direction of the wound did not support the assumption of suicide.

Kristen's hands also had no gunpowder specks, which would have appeared had she fired the weapon. Besides the testimonial statements that called to attention the explosive nature of the relationship, a grave image of domestic conflict and potential crime was painted.

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Colby Trickle's arrest, trial, and life in prison

Colby Trickle was convicted in July 2021 of a first-degree murder charge. By the time of the trial, evidence came from two life insurance policies valued at $120,000 that Colby had already taken on Kristen in July of the same year. He spent all the money within months on personal expenses, further deepening the suspicious nature of his motives.

The prosecution stated that financial pressures and the urge for a fresh start prompted Colby to commit this murder. The trial was highly publicized and attracted much media coverage. The prosecution had all the elements: forensic evidence, financial records, and eyewitness testimonies to present a strong case.

The defense did not have a very plausible alternative explanation of how Kristen died. When the jury finally made its decision in court after several weeks of deliberation, they handed down a guilty verdict for first-degree murder for Colby, with a life sentence in prison with the chance of parole after 50 years.

Colby Trickle has served his time in the Ellsworth Correctional Facility since his conviction. At first, he was being held at the El Dorado Correctional Facility, but he was transferred there in February 2024. Colby Trickle has remained relatively silent since his sentence setting and went off social media.

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The episode Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind hit the screens on October 6, 2024, on Investigation Discovery. The episode gave a more comprehensive look into the case-in-focus and how the key figures involved in the investigation and trial opened up about it.