Justice Served: Man Faces Consequences for Shooting Neighbors in Land Dispute

A Colorado man, embroiled in a bitter land dispute over a driveway, has been sentenced to spend the remainder of his days behind bars after fatally shooting three of his neighbors. The tragic incident unfolded in November 2023, culminating in a courtroom decision on February 20, when 47-year-old Hamne Clark was handed three consecutive life sentences.

The victims — Beth Geers, 73, her husband Robert Geers, 63, and their friend James Daulton, 58 — were gunned down by Clark following a prolonged disagreement over the ownership of the land on which the Geers’ driveway lay. Patty Daulton, James’ wife, was also shot but survived the ordeal.

This devastating event has its roots in a long-standing property dispute. The Geers had sought clarity by hiring a land surveyor to delineate the correct property boundaries. On the fateful day, land surveyor William Bechaver was present to perform his duties and tragically became an eyewitness to the horrific shootings.

According to The Denver Gazette, the Geers had anticipated potential trouble. They had arranged for the Daultons to be on-site as witnesses after a deputy originally scheduled to attend was called away. This precautionary measure, however, could not prevent the impending tragedy.

In court, prosecutors revealed chilling details of the neighbors’ fraught relationship. A video presented during the trial showed Robert Geers expressing his fear of Clark to a deputy, recounting threats made by Clark that they had “targets” on their backs. Although there were multiple disputes between the neighbors, the primary conflict revolved around the contentious driveway, which Clark maintained encroached on his property.

Robert Geers told authorities that he was afraid they would not do anything about the purported threats until his “cold, dead body” was found.

Clark and 52-year-old Nancy Medina-Kochis, the woman he lived with at the time, had fears of their own, Clark’s defense attorney argued. A friend of the couple, Doug Nelson, testified that they told him their neighbors were firing guns at their property to scare them off. Nelson said he was on the phone with Medina-Kochis at 12:59 p.m., the time the shooting was believed to take place, and heard “popping sounds.” He said he heard Clark open the door and say, “Someone is shooting at me.” Nelson told the couple to run.

Bechaver told a slightly different story. While he was assessing the property with the Geers, with the Daultons by the side, Bechaver said a man came through the trees. After a conversation, the man started to walk away, and Robert Geers told the man not to trespass on his property while he was hunting. The man, whom Bechaver identified as Clark, told Robert Geers, “I only hunt lying sons of b—es,” then shot him in the chest.

Patty Daulton testified that Clark then fired “rapidly” at everyone else present, telling the court, “He just shot us like we were tin cans.”

Minutes after the shooting, Clark and Medina-Kochis were seen leaving their property. They were both apprehended in New Mexico, where another friend who lived in that state testified that the couple were planning to visit her there for Thanksgiving.

In the minutes after the shooting, Patty Daulton called 911. She later testified that she and her husband, who also lived in the neighborhood, had avoided Clark and Medina-Kochis after meeting them in 2020. Patty Daulton said Clark was carrying a rifle when they met.

When police arrived, they found the bullet-ridden bodies of the Geers and the Daultons. Patty Daulton was the only survivor.

On Feb. 19, Clark was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of assault with serious bodily injury, and one count of menacing with a firearm. He was handed three consecutive life sentences plus 48 years.

Medina-Kochis was charged with five counts of being an accessory to a crime. Her trial is scheduled for April.