Greeley, CO: Woman arrested in connection to ex-husband's death Greeley man killed in Feb., supposedly for his life insurance

BY MIKE PETERS,
A Greeley woman was arrested Tuesday by Greeley police in the continuing investigation into the killing of her ex-husband, Jeffrey Watson Sr., 44, who was apparently slain for his life insurance.

Police have long believed Watson was killed because of a $110,000 life insurance policy but have not been able to link his ex-wife to the homicide.

Georgia Sue Watson, 45, was arrested at her home Tuesday afternoon.

Jeffrey Watson was ambushed on Feb. 19 near his west Greeley home, in the 600 block of 46th Avenue Court, about a block north of the west Greeley Walmart store. As he got into his pickup to leave for work early in the morning, at least 25 bullets were fired into the pickup from an assault rifle.

Georgia Watson is the third person arrested in the case. Two men — Cecil Erb and Justin Brunner, both 28 — were arrested shortly after the shooting. Erb was caught in Iowa, and police found an assault weapon, apparently the weapon used to kill Jeffrey Watson, in his car.

Both men are friends with the victim's ex-wife. Court affidavits state Erb was living with Georgia Watson, and he knew there was an insurance policy on Jeffrey Watson's life.

Brunner, the man who was alleged to have helped kill Watson, pleaded guilty earlier this year to accessory to a crime in a plea bargain that will net him five years in prison.

Brunner will be sentenced after Erb's 12-day trial, scheduled for February. Erb has been charged with first-degree murder after deliberation, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation, illegal discharge of a firearm and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors would not say if Brunner is scheduled to testify against Erb and Georgia Watson.

Greeley police detective Keith Olsen, who now works as an investigator for the Weld District Attorney's Office, testified that Brunner told officers that Erb's intention was to shoot and kill the victim for some insurance policy.

“He knew the victim had an insurance policy and his ex-wife was the beneficiary,” Olsen testified. “The proceeds from the insurance policy was to pay off her house.”

Georgia Watson was jailed on suspicion of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Another suspect
Greeley police spokesman Sgt. Joe Tymkowych said there is still a fourth person they are trying to find, who is not a suspect in the case, but is a “person of interest.” They have security photos of him buying ammunition at a Fort Collins Walmart store.