Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Monday announced the appointment of Christian Hatfield to serve as the 22nd Judicial District Attorney in Dolores and Montezuma counties.

The appointment is effective June 1, a news release from the Governor’s Office said.

Hatfield is known most in Montezuma County for his defense of Garrett “Ty” Baxstrom, who was found not guilty of second-degree attempted murder in the shooting and beating of his common law wife, Kristi Roundtree, in 2016.

Polis thanked Attorney General Phil Weiser for his and his team’s assistance with the 22nd Judicial District Attorney Office during this process.

Hatfield is the owner of Hatfield & Eley Law Firm in Durango, a position he has held since 2018. He is also a part-time municipal prosecutor for the city of Durango. He has 28 years of experience as a litigation attorney in civil and criminal law and as a government attorney, the news release said.

He also was an applicant, along with his partner, Jason C. Eley, for the 6th Judicial District judgeship, which was vacated by Judge Anne Woods. Woods lost her place on the bench Nov. 9 when voters chose not to retain her services. She resigned Nov. 10.

Anthony Nathaniel Baca of Dolores County was appointed to the 6th Judicial Court District in Durango. Polis appointed 22nd Judicial District Attorney Matthew G. Margeson to fill Baca’s position on the bench in Dolores County Court.

In the Cortez case, Baxstrom, 39, was accused in Montezuma District Court of shooting Roundtree, his then-common law wife, with a shotgun after an altercation on Aug. 15 at a cabin in Hartman Draw, south of Cortez.

Roundtree was discovered late that night covered in blood and dirt and with injuries to her face, head, arms and back, according to a report by Montezuma County Sheriff’s Deputy Donnie Brown. She reported that Baxstrom tried to kill her.

Baxstrom was charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault with fists and a shotgun, and child abuse.

After deliberating for more than two hours, the 12 jurors acquitted Baxstrom of all the charges. He was released from the court immediately, and his bond was discharged.

Judge Todd Plewe presided in the case. Prosecutors Will Furse and Sean Murray argued on July 19 that there had been a pattern of abuse in the couple’s relationship, and that Baxstrom had gotten drunk and angry with Roundtree and wanted to kill her. They said Baxtrom had the intent to cause Roundtree serious bodily injury, and he supplied himself with everything he needed, including guns and nightvision glasses, to do so.

Hatfield argued in closing that prosecutors had proven nothing in the attempted-murder trial against his client. He said Baxstrom never tried to kill Roundtree. He refuted prosecutors’ theories, saying his client was not preparing to hunt down his wife and was not drunk and didn’t want to kill anyone. There was no evidence presented to suggest Baxstrom ever fired a gun, he said.

“It’s simply wrong,” Hatfield said of the state’s case.

Hatfield alleged that Roundtree had conspired with a neighbor to frame Baxstrom, planting evidence and shooting herself with a BB gun. He said that was the best explanation that fit the evidence presented in the case.

At the time of the fight, Roundtree was pregnant with the couple’s second child, which resulted in a miscarriage.