Haley Rippetoe was driving home from work in Erie, Colorado, when her ex-boyfriend allegedly followed her vehicle, intentionally struck it and caused it to roll off the road, then dragged her out and killed her, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
Background
Rippetoe, 28, had recently ended a turbulent relationship with Justin De Nileon Jr., 29. Their breakup was marked by violence, prosecutors say. Rippetoe's family told investigators that De Nileon was emotionally and physically abusive throughout their relationship, recalling incidents where he allegedly shoved her and attempted to run her off the road.
In May, De Nileon was arrested and accused of kidnapping and assaulting Rippetoe, who had a 3-year-old son. An order of protection was issued following those charges — but family members say it wasn't enough to keep her safe.
"A piece of paper isn't going to stop somebody that kidnaps somebody with a kid," Ryan Rippetoe recalled his daughter telling him in an interview with KUSA, the NBC affiliate in Denver.
On June 21, De Nileon allegedly tracked down Rippetoe after she left work and followed her vehicle before striking it intentionally on Weld County Road 7 near its intersection with Weld County Road 6, according to the affidavit.
The Investigation
When Rippetoe's Nissan Rogue came to rest in a ditch, De Nileon allegedly exited his white SUV, pulled her from the driver's side window and killed her. The medical examiner observed multiple sharp force injuries to Rippetoe's torso, neck and head — none consistent with a vehicle crash but rather "intentional, deliberate injuries inflicted by another person."
The damage to Rippetoe's vehicle told investigators something was terribly wrong. The driver's seatbelt had been cut cleanly with a sharp object near its attachment point, with multiple attempted cuts above the final wound. The driver's side window bore an oblong hole consistent with someone punching through to gain access. Most tellingly, large amounts of blood saturated Rippetoe's clothes and spattered across the vehicle's exterior — far more than could result from a crash or being ejected.
Rippetoe's brother and sister received iPhone crash notifications on their devices that night. They drove to the area and found police officers already at the scene with their sister's body.
"Haley was laying perpendicular to the road in a ditch," according to the affidavit.
Her father, Ryan Rippetoe, also received an Apple crash notification. When officers called him about finding his daughter's body, he immediately suspected De Nileon.
"The system failed us so miserably and failed her miserably," Ryan Rippetoe told KUSA. "I got a notification on the Apple app for the crash, and I immediately said, 'This is Justin.'"
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage showing De Nileon leaving the crash scene in his white SUV. Phone records revealed he made a panicked call to his parents afterward. When they asked Broomfield police to conduct a welfare check, officers found him concealed under a tent at their home with significant blood on his clothing and cuts on his hands — injuries inconsistent with the minor abrasions observed.
Key Takeaways
- Justin De Nileon Jr., 29, has been charged with first-degree murder in Haley Rippetoe's death
- An order of protection was in place after De Nileon's May arrest for kidnapping and assault
- Rippetoe's family told investigators he had previously shoved her and tried to run her off the road
- He allegedly threatened her during a domestic dispute, saying "I'm going to smash your head"
- The medical examiner found sharp force injuries inconsistent with a vehicle crash
- Both Rippetoe's siblings and father received iPhone crash notifications that night
What's Next
De Nileon remains in custody. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 2 for a disposition hearing. Investigators continue piecing together evidence from the crash site as the case moves toward prosecution.