Mesa County caregivers charged in death of 86-year-old

Investigation finds woman was left outside in the heat for six hours

Sept. 21, 2021 (DENVER) — Attorney General Phil Weiser today announced that his department has filed charges against three caregivers for the death of a resident at the Cappella Assisted Living and Memory Care facility in Grand Junction.

An investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Colorado Department of Law and the Grand Junction Police Department found that Jamie Johnston, 30, Jenny Logan, 50, and Letticia Martinez, 27, were responsible for the death of Hazel Place on June 14, 2021.

According to the criminal complaints filed in Mesa County District Court, the three individuals are charged with the negligent death of an at-risk person, a class four felony, and criminally negligent homicide, a class five felony. Martinez and Johnston are charged with second-degree forgery, a class one misdemeanor.

“When our loved ones are vulnerable and in need of care, Colorado residents should be able to trust their caregivers implicitly,” Weiser said. “My department is committed to holding accountable those who take advantage of and cause harm to our state’s older residents.”

“We appreciate the collaborative effort put forth by all agencies involved during the process of this investigation,” said Sergeant Sean Crocker of the Grand Junction Police Department. “Cases of this nature are not only difficult for the family and friends of the victim, but for all those involved. We are thankful that the outcome of this investigation will provide some closure to the family.”

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the system that provides healthcare to the most vulnerable Coloradans. It accomplishes this through the investigation and prosecution of Medicaid provider fraud as well as the investigation and prosecution of the abuse and neglect of Medicaid clients in non-institutional settings as well as the abuse and neglect of patients in institutions that receive Medicaid dollars. To report suspected Medicaid fraud or abuse, contact the Department of Law at mfcu.investigations@coag.gov or (720) 508-6696.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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