Fremont County Judge Kaitlin Turner has dropped first degree murder charges against Joseph Tippet because of ongoing discovery violations by 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley’s office.   

Tippet will now face a 2nd degree murder charge in the shooting death of his father.   

In Colorado, the difference between first-degree and second-degree murder charges is significant. First degree murder carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.  Second degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 48 years with parole eligibility a 50 percent of time served.   

RELATED: Suspect in Canon City Homicide Arrested in Salida

Joseph Tippet is accused of shooting his father, William Tippet, in the back of the head in January. He was charged with first-degree murder, but for mor that two months the defense has alleged they only received one-tenth of the evidence from the District Attorney’s office.   

Over the last several weeks, KRDO’s 13 Investigates has uncovered 33 separate criminal cases with allegations of discovery violations in them. Of the 33 cases, five were dismissed entirely. Those include two child sexual assault cases, a murder case, a child porn case, and a strangulation case.  

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Dan R

Danny “Dan R” Ridenour has been in radio and television broadcasting for over 40 years, starting as a senior in high school in Rogers, Arkansas. His radio career has had stops in Nashville, Memphis, Oklahoma, and eventually, Colorado. Dan enjoys being involved in the community, having been a member of the Upper Arkansas Service Club and is currently on the board of directors for the Salida Community Center and is a member of the Chaffee County Fair Committee. He and his wife Carrie spend their days doing everything the mountains have to offer: hiking, camping, fishing and skiing. They've raised 3 children and have 2 grandchildren.

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