Editor's Note: This story contains details of self-harm. If you or someone you know is considering suicide or other acts of self-harm, please contact Colorado Crisis Services by calling 1-844-493-8255 or texting “TALK” to 38255 for free, confidential, and immediate support.
Colorado saw a significant decrease in the number of domestic violence fatalities last year, with deaths falling by more than 38 percent from 2022. The drop amounted to 58 deaths in 2023, compared to 94 the year prior.
That’s according to a report released by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office Tuesday. The Annual Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Report covers the number of domestic violence fatalities and other domestic violence-related cases in 2023.
The decrease in domestic violence fatalities at the statewide level is likely because no 2023 fatal incidents involved more than two deaths, according to the review board. In 2022 and 2021, many cases included multiple fatalities. One case in 2022 resulted in the deaths of seven people.
Domestic violence fatalities accounted for 11 percent of all Colorado homicides last year, a slight decrease from 2022 and 2021, but consistent with pre-pandemic levels. Overall, domestic violence fatalities represented more than 10 percent of all Colorado homicides over the past four years. (The report cited pandemic quarantines as a contributing factor to the two-year jump.)
The review board also found that many victims never reported prior conflicts with their attacker.
“People stay in abusive relationships and do not report abuse for many reasons, including the difficulty for individuals to leave relationships when they have children or financial dependence with the perpetrator,” the report said.
“The Board understands that there is a perception, particularly in the legal system, that if victims have not previously reported abuse or sought a [protective order], allegations brought later are not true,” the report said. “Recognizing that a [protective order] was not sought in nearly 80 percent of [domestic violence fatality] cases underscores that lack of seeking system involvement does not necessarily indicate that the [domestic violence] victim, and children in the relationship, were not in danger.”
Homicide is down, but officials fear domestic violence cases are up
Colorado has seen a decrease in both violent crime and homicides in 2023, but domestic violence incidents aren’t falling at the same rate.
“The fact that we see fewer domestic violence fatalities in 2023 doesn't actually mean violence is going down,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser in an interview with CPR News. “In fact, we have seen more domestic violence cases.”
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation found a decrease of 0.3 percent in reported domestic violence cases in 2023 from the year prior. Officials say that could indicate that fewer victims are reporting abuse or incidents of domestic violence to authorities rather than an overall decrease in domestic violence incidents.
“One of the key messages that this data tells us is – we need to do a better job enabling people who are suffering to get help, to be supported, so they don't end up dying in a tragic situation,” Weiser said.
The board made several recommendations to better support victims of domestic violence, including new training for law enforcement and social service providers to better prepare them for situations involving claims of danger or abuse in the home.
In its report, the board drew specific attention to a case in which two young girls were killed by their father, 36-year-old Adam Zipperer. It said the girls’ mother, Erica Bethel, a member of the review board, repeatedly presented evidence that Zipperer posed a safety risk to their daughters when they were staying with him.
According to the report, Bethel presented evidence to authorities of stalking, punching holes in walls, threats of harm, suicidal ideation and gun ownership by Zipperer. However, he was still granted unsupervised parenting time. The office of the medical examiner determined he killed both children on Dec. 3, 2022, with a gun before ending his own life at his home in southeast Fort Collins.
If you need help, dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also reach the Colorado Crisis Services hotline at 1-844-493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255 to speak with a trained counselor or professional. Counselors are also available at walk-in locations or online to chat.
In advocating for the new training, the board said the case proves that failure by authorities to understand risk in domestic violence situations can lead to fatal results.
“When I review these cases and see that our justice system often fails to take seriously threats of violence, it's a call to action,” Weiser said. “By being open to asking people, ‘Are you okay?’ [and] by being more careful about evaluating when and where domestic violence is happening, we're going to enable our legal system more broadly, which includes how custody determinations are made.”
The report shows that in 2023, nearly 20 percent of Colorado victims in domestic violence fatality cases had a protection order at some point, but only one case had an active protection order at the time of death. Weiser’s office said that statistic shows protective orders can help keep victims safe when active.
State Representative Monica Duran is a survivor of domestic violence herself and an advocate for November’s ballot Proposition KK, which would increase funding for domestic violence survivors. She said there’s a loophole in the way victims are notified if the subject of a protection order has tried to purchase a weapon.
“I will be working on legislation closely with the AG’s office this coming session to close that loophole so that those notifications go out immediately,” she said. “So that [survivors are] able to prepare, they're aware, they're not caught off guard, and they can take the necessary steps to protect themselves.”
Duran wants to ensure that databases across the state do a better job of communicating. AG Weiser agrees.
“If a perpetrator attempts to buy a firearm and is stopped from doing so, the survivor is supposed to be told about this,” he said. “Unfortunately, that's not happening in almost all cases.”
Sixty-seven percent of all domestic violence fatalities in 2023 involved gun violence. In addition, 63 percent of victims and 71 percent of collateral victims were killed with firearms, showing guns as the overwhelming cause of domestic violence fatalities in Colorado.
In 2023, victims ranged in age from 14 to 70, while perpetrators were aged 15 to 81. Collateral victims were as young as five. Pregnancy was also identified as a significant risk factor, particularly for adolescent girls.
The 2023 fatalities included two cases involving pregnant women, and the board said more help is needed for pregnant women in relationships where domestic violence is present. One case involved a 17-year-old girl who killed her ex-boyfriend’s 21-year-old girlfriend, who was pregnant with twins. The other involved a 19-year-old pregnant woman who killed her 18-year-old boyfriend in self-defense.
A study on the Colorado Family Planning Initiative found that increased access to contraception provided across the state during the first four years of CFPI operation had an inverse effect on intimate partner violence which fell by 62 percent during the same time frame. Deaths in the 2023 report included two suicides of domestic violence victims, underscoring the need for better victim support. The publication comes as advocates across the state fear upcoming cuts to both federal and state dollars available to support victims and survivors of domestic violence.
If you need help, dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also reach the Colorado Crisis Services hotline at 1-844-493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255 to speak with a trained counselor or professional. Counselors are also available at walk-in locations or online to chat.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the percentage of domestic violence deaths that involved guns.
