Lester Jones Found Guilty In Murder Of Mother Paige Birgfeld Who Led Double Life As Escort
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CBS4) - Jurors convicted Lester Jones in the June 2007 murder of Paige Birgfeld, a mother of three.
Jones was arrested in November 2014 for the murder of Birgfeld.
Authorities claimed he killed Birgfeld, dumped her body and torched her car. He was convicted on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and arson.
Medical professionals testified in the trial that they couldn't tell for sure how Birgfeld died. Her skeletal remains were found in 2012, in a dry creek bed in neighboring Delta County county.
Investigators say Birgfeld, twice divorced and living in Grand Junction about 200 miles west of Denver, led a double life as a paid escort with many unsavory clients.
Jones was arrested after detectives questioned -- and ruled out -- at least eight other men, including Birgfeld's former husband and several other clients.
Statement From The Mesa County Sheriff's Office
We commend the jury for fulfilling their civic duty and rendering a thoughtful and just verdict. A case this complex took time and took the jurors away from their work and families for weeks. We thank them for their service and sacrifice.
We believe in our justice system and thank the Mesa County District Attorney's Office, our investigators and deputies as well as members of the public who put in countless hours of hard work into this case. We also would like to thank the Grand Junction Police Department, Grand Junction Fire Department, Delta County Sheriff's Office, and Colorado Bureau of Investigation for their work on this case as well.
While this verdict will not bring Paige Birgfeld back to her family, we are happy it will give her family closure.