Human remains found near Rifle lead to arrests of four

Human remains found near Rifle lead to arrest of four

Fravert area investigation

PRESS RELEASE
April 4, 2024

Arrested were Angel Luis Cosme-Marquez (upper left), Manuela Zapata-Castillo (upper right), Phillip Allen Johnson (lower left) and Joseph Patrick Moffat (lower right) in image.

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office – On December 26, 2023, law enforcement officers along with members of the Garfield County Search and Rescue performed a grid search in an area near Fravert Reservoir off County Road 244. They were searching for a body of a missing person based on multiple tips they had received. The remains, later identified as those of Raul Perez, DOB: 05/17/1980, were discovered following a search of approximately two hours.

The Garfield County Coroner was called to the scene to recover the body. Information obtained indicated that the body had been left there since mid-summer. The investigation continued as a homicide investigation. After weeks of investigation, warrants were filed on April 2, 2024, for four people associated with this incident. All four are currently in custody.

Charges on the warrants included:

Angel Luis Cosme-Marquez, DOB: 06/09/1969: Bail set at $1,000,000.00 cash only for:
1) MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, 18-3-102(1)(a), C.R.S., F1
2) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, 18-3-102(1)(a);18-2-201, C.R.S., F2
3) DISTRIBUTION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE – FENTANYL, 18-18-405(1),(2)(b)(I)(D), C.R.S., DF2
4) SPECIAL OFFENDER-DEADLY WEAPON, C.R.S. 18-18-407(1)(D)(I) (DF1)
5) CONSPIRACY – CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES – FENTANYL, 18-18-405(1),(2)(b)(I)(D), C.R.S., DF2
6) TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5, C.R.S., F3
7) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
8) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
9) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
10) TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, 18-8-610(1)(a),(3)(a), C.R.S., F6

Manuela Zapata-Castillo, DOB: 06/18/1981: Bail set at $500,000.00 cash only for:
1) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, 18-3-102(1)(a);18-2-201, C.R.S., F2
2) DISTRIBUTION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE – FENTANYL, 18-18-405(1),(2)(b)(I)(D), C.R.S., DF2
3) SPECIAL OFFENDER-DEADLY WEAPON, 18-18-407(1)(D)(I)
4) CONSPIRACY – CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES – FENTANYL, 18-18-405(1),(2)(b)(I)(D), C.R.S., DF2
5) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
6) ACCESSORY TO CRIME, 18-8-105(1),(3), C.R.S., F4
7) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
8) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
9) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
10) TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, 18-8-610(1)(a),(3)(a), C.R.S., F6

Phillip Allen Johnson, DOB: 01/21/1996: Bail set at $50,000.00 cash only for:
1) TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5, C.R.S., F3
2) ACCESSORY TO CRIME, 18-8-105(1),(3), C.R.S., F4
3) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
4) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
5) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
6) TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, 18-8-610(1)(a),(3)(a), C.R.S., F6

Joseph Patrick Moffat, DOB: 09/26/1985: Bail set at $50,000.00 cash only for:
1) TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5, C.R.S., F3
2) ACCESSORY TO CRIME, 18-8-105(1),(3), C.R.S., F4
3) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
4) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
5) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TAMPERING WITH A DECEASED HUMAN BODY, 18-8-610.5;18-2-201, C.R.S., F4
6) TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, 18-8-610(1)(a),(3)(a), C.R.S., F6

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following agencies for their cooperation in this investigation: Garfield County SPEAR (Special Problems Enforcement Task Force), the Eagle County GRANITE (Gore Range Narcotic Interdiction Team) Drug Task Force, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, the Rifle Police Department, the Glenwood Springs Police Department, Garfield County Search and Rescue, The Garfield County Victim Response Team, the Garfield County Coroner’s Office and the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office for their collaborative efforts in making this investigation a success.