Colorado man arrested out of state after allegedly killing missing housemate from sober living home
01/06/2025 12:55 pm PST
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (TCN) -- A 46-year-old man has been charged in the killing of his housemate and the killing of another man, a crime he allegedly committed with a 43-year-old woman before fleeing to Mississippi.
According to the Park County Sheriff’s Office, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the disappearance of 37-year-old Stephen Walker on Dec. 19. Per KRDO-TV, Walker lived in a sober living home, where the Park County Sheriff’s Office said they "discovered a large pool of blood in the garage."
Several days later, on Dec. 24, the Park County Sheriff’s Office located Walker’s vehicle while performing a welfare check on 65-year-old Timmy Huston. The car was reportedly 1.5 miles from Huston’s residence. Later that day, authorities discovered Huston deceased inside his home.
Upon further investigation, Park County investigators identified Johnny Morris and Hailey Cole as the primary suspects in Huston’s death. Morris and Cole face charges of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, first-degree aggravated motor vehicle theft, tampering with evidence of felony crime, and conspiracy out of Park County. Investigators suspect the pair killed Huston on Dec. 19 and drove to their home state of Mississippi in the victim’s vehicle.
The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi arrested Morris and Cole on Dec. 30. They were reportedly camping in a shed at the time. Morris and Cole were initially booked into the Pearl River County jail on outstanding warrants in Mississippi for failure to appear, receiving stolen property, and contempt of court — failure to appear.
According to the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation during the suspects’ arrests also led to charges of commercial burglary and attempted residential burglary.
El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal announced that investigators later found Walker deceased in a wooded area. Officials issued an arrest warrant for only Morris on Dec. 31 on charges of first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, and tampering with physical evidence in connection with Walker’s death.
Morris reportedly lived with Walker.
MORE:
- Sheriff’s office locates body of missing Colorado Springs man, murder charges filed - KRDO
- Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department Press Release, 12/30/2024 - Pearl River County Sheriff's Department
- Arrest Made, Suspect Charged with First-Degree Murder in Pima Drive Missing Person Investigation - El Paso County Sheriff's Office
- Update: Arrest warrants for 46-year-old Johnny Rankin Morris and 43-year-old Hailey Cole - Park County Sheriff's Office