Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Mailman Murder’ of A&E’s ‘Crime in Progress’ delves deep into the tragic killing of a beloved mail carrier named Jason Schaefer in October 2021 in Longmont, Colorado. The incident rocked the entire community to its core, but witnesses tried their best to help out the investigators. As the detectives investigated the case and learned about his personal life, they uncovered several complications involving him and the perpetrator/s. The documentary also features exclusive interviews with Jason’s loved ones and the officials linked to the case.
Jason Schaefer Was Ambushed While He Was Delivering Mail in a Longmont Suburb
Born on July 1, 1988, in Deep River, Connecticut, Jason Leon Schaefer was the beloved son of Lori and Ernest Schaefer and a loving brother of Patrick Schaefer. After graduating from high school in 2006, he landed a job as a mail carrier at the Deep River Post Office. Several years later, in 2014, he was transferred to the United States Postal Service in Longmont, Colorado, where he continued working in the same designation. That’s when he crossed paths with Devan Schreiner, whom he began dating. In 2015, the couple entered parenthood when they gave birth to a son, Chase.
Described as a smart, polite, kind, and compassionate individual, Jason had several hobbies as he enjoyed playing softball and video games. He made time for his family and friends, with whom he celebrated festivals and special occasions. The mail carrier looked forward to seeing his son succeed in life, but his dreams were abruptly shattered when fate intervened. On the afternoon of October 13, 2021, multiple gunshots echoed in the 2000 block of Sicily Circle in Longmont, Colorado. After the locals rushed outside, they found 33-year-old Jason Schaefer lying in a pool of his blood next to his postal delivery van. When the police arrived at the crime scene, they noticed that died of gunshot wounds. Thus, a homicide investigation was launched immediately.
Jason Schaefer’s Past Came Back to Haunt Him
As part of the investigation, detectives spoke with neighbors and potential witnesses, who described seeing an individual wearing a hoodie and a blue mask. The authorities also dug deep into Jason Schaefer’s personal life and learned that he had broken up with Devan Schreiner due to the deterioration of their relationship, not long after the birth of their son. The former couple reportedly tried to co-parent, but that didn’t work out. Later, Jason got a lawyer to set up a proper parenting plan with his ex-girlfriend. Upon interviewing Jason’s mother, the detectives found another motive that Devan, also a mail carrier, could have had for killing him. According to her, Jason dated Devan’s younger sister, Rosa, who also began living with him. When Devan learned of this, she allegedly became upset and angry.
At the time, she had also moved on and begun dating Andrew James “AJ” Ritchie. The detectives questioned Devan, who claimed that she was with Andrew at his house when the murder took place. However, according to security footage, he was with his friends at Hooters at the time of the shooting. Moreover, the police discovered that her mail scanner was stalled in the same place for an hour around the same time. Upon going through Andrew’s cell phone location data, the investigators learned that he had been following Jason in the hours prior to his death. The phone records of Andrew and Devan also showed evidence that they began orchestrating Jason’s killing after finding out that he was dating Devan’s sister.
When Jason filed for primary custody of his son a couple of days before his demise, the two suspects gained another reason to commit the crime. On the morning of the fateful day, Andrew and Devan were on a call for about three hours, as the former provided her with the information about the whereabouts of Jason, who was delivering mail. Ultimately, Andrew admitted to hatching the murderous plot. With his help, Devan learned about her ex-boyfriend’s location, where he ambushed him and shot him to death. Both suspects were arrested and charged with the murder of Jason Schaefer.
Devan Schreiner and Andrew James Ritchie Are Currently Incarcerated at Separate Colorado Prisons
Around March 2023, Devan Schreiner’s trial got underway. During the trial, the prosecution presented a series of evidence against the defendant, including her cell phone records, in front of the jury. In the end, on March 7, the jury deliberated for about eight hours and found her guilty of first-degree murder. Consequently, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Several months later, on September 19, Andrew James Ritchie stood trial for his involvement in the killing of Jason Schaefer. The prosecution showed the jury how his cell phone was tracked along the same route as Jason’s on the fateful day.
They argued that he was the eyes and ears of the plan, helping Devan set up an alibi and providing her with information about Jason’s location so she could attack him. The prosecution also presented a text message that was sent by Andrew to Devan, reading, “You could just kill them both and make it look like they killed each other.” As the jury was presented with enough incriminating evidence against him, they convicted him of first-degree murder on September 27, 2023. He was also sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As of today, 30-year-old Devan Schreiner and 38-year-old Andrew James Ritchie are serving their sentences at Denver Women’s Correctional Facility in Denver, Colorado, and San Carlos Correctional Facility in Pueblo, Colorado, respectively.
Read More: Ben Oxley Murder: Where Are James Matlean and Dawn Oxley Now?
