Prosecutors have dropped sexual assault charges against the boyfriend of a woman who vanished in July, hinting in court papers that the two cases are “intertwined.”
According to court filings, pursuing the sexual assault case would have meant turning over evidence that is tied to the separate investigation into the disappearance.
Littleton police arrested Jeffrey Beier on July 12 in the alleged sexual assault – four days after his girlfriend, Charlene Voight, was reported missing by her family. He was initially charged with a felony count of sexual assault and a misdemeanor charge of assault.
Vikki Migoya, a spokeswoman for 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler, said no one from the office would comment on the developments in the case.
Beier has not been named a possible suspect in Voight’s disappearance, and the two cases were initially described as being unrelated.
But this week John Kellner, a senior deputy district attorney, filed a motion to dismiss the sexual assault case, writing that “it has become factually intertwined with an ongoing missing person investigation.”
“As such,” Kellner wrote, “the district attorney is in the unusual position of having to provide discovery relating to an ongoing investigation to defense counsel in this case. Regardless of who may be involved in the missing person case, law enforcement must be able to conduct an investigation without disclosing information relating to an active investigation to non-law enforcement personnel.”
Prosecutors spoke to the woman who reported the sexual assault. She did not object to dismissing the charge.
Beier, 42, had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing in the sexual assault case next week.
Voight, 36, was last seen June 29. After family members didn’t hear from her for several days, they reported her missing.
Investigators later found her car abandoned in a dirt lot in the 5000 block of South Rio Grande Street.
California court records obtained by 9Wants To Know show that Beier and Voight had a turbulent relationship.
In 2013, Beier admitted to a felony for beating Voight in an incident May 2011.
Voight also sought a restraining order against Beier in California, contending that in an incident in January 2012 he “grabbed, slapped, choked and dragged her around the house.”
According to documents filed with the Orange County Superior Court, Voight wrote, “I thought I was going to die” – a fear she reiterated numerous times throughout her request.
Voight also wrote, “I am scared for my life,” and “he may kill me next time he gets drunk.”
The couple later reconciled, posting messages on Facebook suggesting they were happy.
Then her family lost touch with her.
The sexual assault case was dismissed “without prejudice” – meaning it could be re-filed at a later date.
Contact 9NEWS reporter Kevin Vaughan with tips about this or any story: kevin.vaughan@9news.com or 303-871-1862.
