A Colorado teen was found guilty of first-degree murder Friday after a night of reckless rock-throwing ended with the tragic death of a young woman.
Joseph Koenig, now 20, was convicted in the April 2023 death of 20-year-old Alexa Bartell, who was killed when a 9-pound landscaping rock crashed through her windshield as she drove in suburban Denver. She died instantly.
Prosecutors said Koenig was behind the wheel and hurled the fatal rock “shotput-style” from the driver’s window.
Two friends who were with him that night—Zachary Kwak and Nicholas Karol-Chik—testified against him as part of plea deals. They claimed Koenig was the one who threw the rock that killed Bartell.
All three teens had been throwing rocks at cars that night, laughing and cheering as they went.
They didn’t stop or call for help after Bartell’s car veered off the road. Instead, they circled back, took photos of the wreck, and kept quiet—until police began asking questions.
Jurors were presented with conflicting stories during the trial. Koenig’s lawyers argued that he didn’t throw the rock and had no idea anyone had been seriously hurt.
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They asked for a manslaughter conviction, saying he suffered from borderline personality disorder and didn’t intend to kill.
But the jury sided with the prosecution, which argued Koenig acted as part of a deadly conspiracy and showed no remorse afterward. He now faces a mandatory life sentence, with sentencing scheduled for June 3.
Bartell’s mother, Kelly, told reporters she felt justice had been served but grieved for all the lives destroyed.
“One amazing life was lost, and three others are also lost and impacted,” she said.
Kwak and Karol-Chik also face long prison terms. Karol-Chik will be sentenced Thursday, and Kwak the following day.
What began as a night of reckless fun ended in tragedy—and the consequences are now permanent for all involved.
