A Weld County jury got a first look Thursday into what happened on an October night in 2022 that resulted in a Greeley man dead with multiple stab wounds to his neck, left to burn inside his own home.
Stacy Rodriguez, now 22. (Courtesy/Weld County Sheriff’s Office)Prosecutors painted a clear picture of how they believe 23-year-old Stacy Rodriguez, along with her former co-defendant and ex-girlfriend Hosanna Varela, 26, killed Chris Dickerson, 35, and burned down his house in an attempt to cover up the murder.
The defense had a different retelling of events, arguing that Dickerson invited the two young women to his house and made them feel so threatened that Rodriguez stabbed him in self-defense.
Rodriguez faces charges of first-degree murder after deliberation, second-degree burglary, first-degree arson and tampering with a deceased human body, according to Colorado court records. She pleaded not guilty to all charges on May 6, 2024.
Varela entered into a plea agreement in November, pleading guilty to charges of first-degree arson, tampering with evidence and accessory to murder, records show. She was sentenced to 32 years in prison, with a chance to reduce that sentence with truthful testimony against Rodriguez.
The case dates back to the early morning of Oct. 3, 2021, when a caller reported a large house fire in the 2400 block of 15th Avenue Court and believed Dickerson — who lived there — was still inside.
Chris Dickerson, 35. (Courtesy/Greeley Police Department)Police found the house engulfed in flames and Dickerson’s body burned beyond recognition on the front floor near the entrance. Records show Dickerson suffered stab wounds on his neck before the fire started, and the Weld County Coroner’s Office ruled his death a homicide.
Greeley police arrested both women on Nov. 11, 2021 — just more than a month after Dickerson was found dead.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Pirraglia spent most of his time Thursday morning painting a timeline leading up to and immediately following Dickerson’s death. Previewing upcoming testimony, he showed phone records, location data and multiple clips of security camera footage to lay out the events that bled into the morning of Oct. 3.
He detailed how Rodriguez and Varela met Dickerson downtown the night of Oct. 2, before following him home for what was described as an “after party.” The two stayed for a while, then left — taking Dickerson’s phone with them, Pirraglia said.
After driving around for a short while, Pirraglia said the two returned and Rodriguez — who was in the passenger seat — went back inside the home. He showed a video of fire erupting inside the home and smoke pouring out a window as Rodriguez calmly exited the house and walked back to the car.
The defense’s argument focused on the pressure everybody involved in the case was under, mainly Rodriguez and Varela, who the defense said had made split-second decisions in what they believed was a life-or-death situation.
“Sometimes, the pressure of a situation so insurmountable that nobody knows how to deal with it,” defense attorney Samantha Deveraux said. “That doesn’t mean the actions are correct. It doesn’t mean another person in that same position would have acted same way. But sometimes, the worst thing happens and a drastic measure is taken out of pure panic.”
Deveraux also touched on the pressure investigators were under to find someone at fault — and how they failed to follow leads out of what she alleged was fear of finding out they were on the wrong path. She added that same pressure now falls onto prosecutors to deliver a guilty verdict.
Though Varela is no longer a co-defendant, both arguments focused heavily on what she has said — and what she will say during trial.
Hosanna Varela, now 26. (Courtesy/Weld County Sheriff’s Office)Pirraglia said the jury will hear Varela detail how Rodriguez was the aggressor in nearly every interaction with Dickerson, and that he was pleading with the two to leave his home. He added that she will talk about how she never felt in any danger of being hurt while at Dickerson’s home.
“There was no need to kill him,” Pirraglia said. “There was no need. And yet Stacy Rodriguez did.”
Deveraux cast doubt on any testimony Varela will give, saying she is also under pressure. Pressure from her friends and family — and also herself — to deliver testimony that will shorten her sentence, whether it is the absolute truth or not.
“Yes, she’s serving a prison sentence, but if she comes here and testifies the way they want her to, maybe it will get lowered?” Devereaux said with a shrug. “That’s a benefit.”
Deveraux also pointed out anticipated discrepancies between what Varela told a detective in a seven-hour conversation on June 8, 2022, and what she expects Varela will tell the court in the coming week-plus.
In that proffer, Deveraux said Varela told a detective that she “felt uncomfortable” in Dickerson’s home because he was sexually harassing her, and that he, at one point, cornered Rodriguez and wouldn’t allow her to move.
Near the end of his statements, Pirraglia discussed a note Rodriguez had written to Varela on a paper towel and passed to her in the Weld County Jail.
In the note, Rodriguez told Varela “don’t be stupid, play dumb” and expressed how she hoped Varela had “kept the same story,” Pirraglia said.
At the bottom, Rodriguez instructed Varela to flush the note when she finished reading it, he added.
Rodriguez’s trial continues Friday and is slated to wrap up March 7.
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