A young woman’s life was tragically cut short on Wednesday night when her car was struck by a rock, leading to her untimely death. 

20-year-old Alexa Bartell was driving home when the incident occurred, which authorities from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office believe may be connected to a string of related crimes that took place throughout the night.

Investigators are considering the possibility that the rock was hurled from another moving vehicle or by individuals positioned on the side of the road. At the time, Bartell was talking with a friend on the phone, who became alarmed when the call abruptly ended. Following the location of Bartell’s phone, the concerned friend found her lifeless body inside the car, which had come to rest in a field adjacent to the road.

According to Jacki Kelly, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, the rocks recovered from the scene weighed between three and five pounds and were four to six inches in size. These sizable landscaping-type rocks had shattered the windshield, with some even penetrating the interior of the car.

Bartell’s acquaintances remember her as a delightful person who was a friend to all. One coworker described her as delightful, while a high school peer reminisced about her being the kind of friend always ready for a chat or a laugh.

The Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with various law enforcement agencies, including the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Westminster Police, and Arvada Police, in the search for more information. They suspect there may be more victims in this case.

Law enforcement officials are appealing to the public for help in identifying and apprehending the perpetrators. They request anyone with home security or dashboard camera footage that could provide insight into the incident to contact them.