The body of an Ignacio man believed to have been murdered was found Thursday morning in the Haycamp Mesa area east of Dolores in the San Juan National Forest, according to Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin.
The victim was identified Friday as James Box Jr., 42, of Ignacio, Nowlin said. Box, a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, was fatally shot by a handgun.
A suspect, Kevin Wade Folsom, 39, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder, Nowlin said. Folsom is from Montezuma County.
The crime occurred late Tuesday or early Wednesday off Forest Road 557, which is a spur of Forest Road 556, known as the Haycamp Road.
Nowlin said a person who heard about the incident contacted him about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Deputies went to the area of the shooting and conducted a three-hour search for the victim.
“We found him about 1:30 a.m.,” Nowlin said. “It is still an active investigation.”
Folsom was arrested about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday after being pulled over near the corner of Colorado Highway 145 and County Road M. His truck was impounded.
Folsom and the victim, plus an unidentified person, had driven together to Haycamp Mesa and were partying in an area off Indian Ridge Road, Nowlin said. He said drugs were involved and that Folsom has a criminal history.
In court Thursday, District Court Judge Douglas Walker set bail at $500,000 and issued a protection order. Walker denied a gag order request from Folsom’s public defender Justin Bogan.
District Attorney Will Furse requested a $1 million bond, citing Folsom’s criminal history. Prior charges listed by Furse spanned from 1997 to 2008 and included escape, burglary, parole violation, possession of a weapon by a felon, aggravated robbery, vehicular eluding, assault, menacing and theft.
Furse said according to sheriff’s reports, it appears there was an attempt to conceal evidence at the scene because snow was moved and there were indications of a shovel being used.
Walker attributed the high bail to the severity of the second-degree murder allegation and the suspect’s record.
Folsom’s next court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 18 for filing of charges.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
