Man Killed In Fire ID’d As Missing Parolee

The search for a missing parolee in Chaffee County has ended. An autopsy conducted on a person killed in a barn fire shows the parolee, David Butler, was the victim.

The Colorado Department of Corrections informed the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office of the missing parolee last Thursday.

46-year-old David Butler was wanted on an original charge of homicide and was said to have violent tendencies. Deputies located Butler’s vehicle off County Road 321 Thursday afternoon. They then saw a fire in a barn nearby. Fire crews put out the fire and discovered a dead body. At the time, it was not known if the fire victim was Butler or not. Deputies continued the search while they waited for autopsy results.

The coroner was able to positively ID the fire victim as Butler through dental records. The Sheriff’s Office has not ruled the death as a suicide or accident, but say they have ruled out homicide.