Testimony suggests alleged motive in woman’s death

A detective says a woman whose body was found under a trailer in El Paso County was choked to death after rejecting her suspected killer’s advances.

The body of Crysta Chisholm was found under the home of Howard Lee York in March after he was jailed in connection with a robbery. York is serving a 17-year sentence for the robbery but says he’s innocent of killing Chisholm.

The Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/WFtmzb) sheriff’s detective James Vidmar testified Monday that York’s acquaintance Danny Trujillo said he was drinking with York and Chisholm when Chisholm rejected York’s advances, prompting York to choke her. Vidmar’s attorney has questioned Trujillo’s account.

The preliminary hearing, in which a judge will decide if prosecutors can proceed with their case against York, is to resume Jan. 22.