Murder suspect pleads guilty, sentenced to 35 years
Craig Press
Courtesy photo
A defendant was sentenced Thursday, June 23, in Moffat County Court for a murder case that began in November 2020.
Griffin James Loughlin, 25, received 35 years in prison for the murder of Ian Tillack, 26, which occurred on Nov. 30, 2020, on County Road 161 just north of the town of Dinosaur.
Around 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a man’s body had been found in a remote area of northwest Moffat County, approximately 2.75 miles from the Utah border.
The deceased was identified as Tillack. Foul play was suspected at the scene, which is what led to Loughlin’s arrest. Neither Tillack nor Loughlin are Moffat County residents.
The investigation was led by Moffat County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Chip McIntyre, and the prosecution team was led by Assistant District Attorney Matthew Tjosvold.
According to the 14th Judicial District, Loughlin shot Tillack in the back, killing him. Loughlin pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree, a class two felony, which stipulated a sentence of 25 years.
Loughlin has been in the Moffat County Jail for 569 days since his arrest in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Dec. 2, 2020, in connection with the homicide. Loughlin has been placed with Colorado Department of Corrections to serve the remainder of his sentence.
“Although no sentence can fully alleviate the suffering that Ian’s family has endured, this sentence offers a small measure of reckoning for the defendant’s acts on Nov. 30, 2020,” Tjosvold said. “Justice has been done for Ian and the Tillack family.”
In a statement, Moffat County Sheriff KC Hume extended gratitude for all of the agencies that helped bring the case to a close and provide answers for Tillack’s family.
The Moffat County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Colorado Bureau of Investigation, 14th Judicial District, US Marshall’s Office, and law enforcement agencies in Utah and New York.
“Our hearts are with the family of Ian Tillack, while they continue to deal with the loss of their son, brother and friend,” Hume said.
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