Ex-con is found guilty of murder of Colorado lawyer; he sought an attorney victim, DA says
An ex-convict has been found guilty of raping and killing a Colorado lawyer during his first meeting with her.
Warren Dale Watson was convicted on Tuesday in the death of Lakewood, Colorado, lawyer Claudia Miller, report the Denver Post and Law Week Colorado. He was on parole for a felony conviction at the time of the crime in March 2013.
Jurors heard evidence that Watson had been planning for months to find a female family law attorney to rob, according to a press release by the Jefferson County, Colorado, District Attorney’s office. He called other lawyers who refused to meet with him on short notice before making an appointment with Miller.
Watson had made the appointment for 4:30 p.m., then called to say he would be late. The plan, according to the District Attorney, was to arrive at Miller’s office after others had left for the day.
Watson was shown on surveillance videos using Miller’s credit cards and throwing a bag into a dumpster behind a shelter where he had stayed. The bag included Miller’s purse, her underwear and Watson’s clothing.
Watson filed a handwritten motion this spring saying he wanted to plead guilty, KUSA reports in prior coverage. The judge refused in a March hearing after Watson “made nonsensical responses to several of the judge’s questions,” the story says. “My decision-making is gone,” Watson said during the hearing.
