Man Faces Murder Charge In Globetrotters Trainer Case
FREDERICK, Colo. (CBS4) - Investigators in Weld County are set to issue an arrest warrant in the murder of a Harlem Globetrotters trainer.
Draton Mares, 23, is already in jail for two unrelated burglaries in Boulder. Sheriff's investigators have now connected him to the murder of Thomas Bashline.
Mares apparently knew Bashline, who was found dead in his home Nov. 4 with a gunshot wound to the head.
Police said Wednesday they were able to connect Mares to the murder with items that were left in Bashline's truck. Authorities say Mares stole items from Bashline's home after the murder and then took the truck and drove it to Boulder. According to the arrest affidavit, police recovered keys to the truck from Mares' personal belongings.
Investigators suspect Bashline picked Mares up in Longmont on the day of the murder and they drove to Bashline's home, located in the 7,000 block of County Road 11, near Frederick.
While at Bashline's home on the day of the murder "the defendant stated that 'Tommy' was demanding, disrespectful and verbally abusive. The defendant stated that this made him angry ... The defendant stated he thought to himself that he would take the gun from the backpack on the bed and shoot him," according to the arrest affidavit.
LINK: Arrest Affidavit
"The victim, Mr. Bashline, in the suspect's mind disrespected him and said a few things that he didn't appreciate, so he decided to shoot him," Weld County Sheriff John Cooke said.
The defendant allegedly described how "he blindfolded Tommy with socks, took a pillow and placed it over the head of Tommy and shot Tommy in the back of the head while he lay face down on the bed."
Police also believe they have found the gun used in the fatal shooting. In the arrest affidavit it states that Mares was connected to a burglary of a home where a gun was taken. Police believe the same gun was used to kill Bashline.
According to the arrest affidavit, Mares stated he had been acquainted with Bashline since May, 2010 and had been in an occasional sexual relationship with him.
Bashline was well known in his community and the murder came as a big shock to the town. In addition to working for the Globetrotters Bashline was a trainer at Brighton High School, where he mentored students and organized rodeos.
