Mares convicted of Bashline's murder
- Wild weather stays away from Brighton
- City workers get market-rate pay increases
- Brighton steps up enforcement of drought restrictions
- Arrests lead to break in string of burglary cases
- Trujillo guilty on child abuse charge
- Kirk Hunter Swarts
- UPDATE: Fire ban in place for unincorporated Adams County
- Brighton man dies in motorcycle crash
GREELEY -- A Weld County jury convicted Frederick High School graduate Draton Mares of first-degree murder in the death of former Brighton High School and Harlem Globetrotters trainer Thomas Bashline.
Mares was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.
The two met online in 2010. Bashline and Mares agreed to meet in November and returned to Bashline's Frederick home. Court records said Mares convinced Bashline to lie down on his bed for a massage.
Mares then blindfolded Bashline, covered his head with a pillow and shot him in the head with a handgun Mares stole during an earlier burglary. Police records said Mares stole Bashline's truck, which turned up in Boulder with the murder weapon inside.
The trial lasted nine days. The jury convicted Mares of one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated motor-vehicle theft.
"We're satisfied that justice was served in this case," Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck said. "Thomas Bashline didn't deserve to die that day. Now his killer will spend the rest of his life behind prison walls.
Add new comment
Read and share your thoughts on this story
Ad Gallery
Copyright © 2013
The Standard Blade is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Adams County and Brighton, CO and the surrounding area.