GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Earlier this month, Grand Junction police arrested a murder suspect and extradited him from Florida back to Mesa County. Authorities say he's linked to a Mesa County juvenile homicide case from 2016.
38-year-old Darin Thrailkill was arrested in North Port, Florida in October and last month he was extradited to Mesa County where he's facing charges of first and second-degree murder.
First-degree murder for knowingly causing the death of a child under twelve, while being in a position of trust and the second crime he has is knowingly causing the death of another person
Trish Mahre, Mesa County Assistant District Attorney
On July 2nd, 2016, an employee of St. Mary's Hospital called the police about an unresponsive boy. Efforts were made to save his life, but the juvenile was declared dead and an autopsy later ruled the manner of death to be homicide.
According to the autopsy performed on July 4th of that year, Doctor Dean Havlik determined the cause of death to be asphyxia, specifically consistent with strangulation.
According to Thraikill's arrest affidavit, the boy was found unresponsive at his home in Paradise Valley and his mother drove him to the emergency room. The affidavit states that an ER staff member recalled that the boy wasn't breathing and believed he'd been dead for a while before he arrived at the hospital.
The affidavit also reveals Thraikill, stayed home while the boy was taken to the hospital and made six calls, on someone else's phone at the residence, to his father. Thraikill also texted his father saying, in part:
"I think he is gone" and "I'm sure there going to pin me cause I'm the only one with a record"
As for what's next in this case, Thraikill will return to court in early January for a review hearing and after that, a preliminary hearing. Trish Mahre, Mesa County's Assistant District Attorney tells me that with charges of this magnitude, it may take some time for a verdict.
We will continue to follow this case and update you when we learn more.