home in western colorado for months. claude wilkerson is accused of chaining up the woman with the help of a run-away teenager who also lived at his home in the ranching community of gateway, about an hour from grand junction. 9news mountain newsroom reporter matt renoux joins us now. gateway is a small community. >> reporter: about as small as you can get in western colorado and a police investigators say is perfect for a -- and a place investigators say is perfect for a person who wants to be left alone. in the small community in gateway just south of grand junction, investigators say a colorado only woman's life was a nightmare kept in this house october. claude wilkerson lured and kept the homeless woman in her 20s in this house using chemicals to keep her sedated, chaining her to a bed at times and sexually assaulting her repeatedly over the time she was there. a young run-away who lived

notify authorities. when a deputy went to the house to check on the victim, she wasn't tied up at the time but was able to give the deputy signs that she needed help. >> the way she was acting, interacting with mr. wilkerson, something was not right. so he did further investigation, found that she had a warrant for $50, at which time he made the decision to take her into custody. fifty dollars warrants are something we typically don't bring people in on, but he felt that something was wrong and he needed to get her away from mr. wilkerson to find out what was going on. >> reporter: the sheriff's department says that the victim is getting care here in mesa county. the suspect, mr. wilkerson, is held on a $1 million bond. he's had several run-ins with the law here in colorado and as we mentioned earlier in this story, 30 years ago he was on death row in texas released on a miranda rights technicality and ended up in colorado. >> wow. the details of this case are really, really tough to digest. >> reporter: yes.

more we're learning, the more surprised people seem to be including investigators here in mesa county who say they've never seen anything like this around here. >> thank you. matt renoux. the u.s. honor flag arrived this afternoon. the flag travels across the country. it's currently on display at black can john high school in -- canyon high school in honor of nate carrigan. the flag will remain on display 13 hours, one hour for each year he served in the sheriff's office. two men who served with the clark county sheriff's office -- park county sheriff's office have been disciplined. the other quit. he spoke with 9news crime and justice reporter anastasiya bolton. >> reporter: sheriff fred wegener told me today he would not speak on camera because he wanted to wait till the funeral for nate carrigan is over. he talked to me on the phone

and said the timing of the discipline was bad and he also added he felt he had to do something when it came to the discipline. the disciplined men were not involved in the planning or execution of the eviction. monte gore it was suspended -- was suspended after releasing an inaccurate report. sheriff tonjes yelled at some employees after the shooting and had issues in the past. all this comes a week after corporal carrigan was shot and killed during a high risk eviction. carrigan was one of eight deputies serving the eviction. investigators say the suspect came out on his deck and went back inside his home. deputies followed. three were shot. carrigan didn't survive. we reached out to undersheriff gore who said he couldn't talk to us because he was on leave. we also tried to reach out to sergeant tonjes. we could not find a workable phone number and he could not

in park county anastasiya bolton, 9news. a prison cell may be your home, but that doesn't mean you can use deadly force to impend it according -- defend it according to a bill in the statehouse today. the bill clarifies the so- called make my day law. the 1985 law has been used at least twice to exonerate inmates accused of killing fellow inmates who entered their cells. last year the law was invoked to throw out a murder charge against inmates accused of stabbing a fellow inmate to death at the sterling correctional facility. prosecutors worry the law could be used in the case of an inmate attacking a guard. the bill faces one more house vote before heading to the senate. the republican establishment is at full boil over donald trump. today the last two party nominees mitt romney and john mccain implored conservatives to unite for the sake of party and the nation.

saying he's playing the american people for suckers. trump responded to romney's attack while gaining in maine saying that four years ago romney begged for trump's endorsement. >> i backed him. you can see how loyal he is. he was begging for my endorsement. i should have said mitt, drop to your knees. he would have dropped to his knees. he was begging. >> here's what i know. donald trump is a phoney, a fraud. his promises are as worthless as the degree from trump university. >> trump is hinting again that he might leave the republican party and take millions of voters with him for a third- party run. there is speculation that he could skip future debates, but trump is expected to attend tonight's fox news debate at 7:00 in detroit. a new report from the cdc looks at the number of people who go to the hospital to get treatment and end up becoming sick with antibiotic resistant bacteria while in the hospital. the cdc says that on any given

at least one healthcare associated infection that they did not have prior to their hospital administration. many of those infections are caused by superbugs, hard to treat bacteria resistant to antibiotics. overall the cdc reports hospitals are doing a better job preventing many of these infections. when you have to go, you have to go. when people have nowhere to go, their problem becomes the city's problem. 9news reporter chris nick mcgill explains. >> reporter: here the call of nature had become too loud to avoid. >> i think we've all had dilemmas like that and we know how serious they can be. >> reporter: for business owners like ron vaughn -- >> it's certainly something we should try. >> reporter: -- signs like these are causing a serious problem. >> we've all been in the position of going oh, i need to go to the bathroom. >> reporter: today the city unveiled a brand-new mobile bathroom, a place to stop for those who have to go.

mobile commode away from home and now officials say it's been a long time coming. >> there are some places that we just need to put a restroom all by itself and it's great to activate ones in buildings and parks, but sometimes you need a restroom where there isn't anything else. >> reporter: the city said the new bathroom is part of a pilot program that looks to address the lack of public bathrooms in high traffic areas hoping to relieve those pedestrians that need to relieve themselves including the homeless. >> we have sinks to wash your hands. we have a very nice clean facility. we have an attendant who will keep that facility up throughout the day. >> reporter: the restroom will be available 12 hours a day and are open to anyone who needs to use it. the city will then make adjustments to the plan after the trial period. >> our goal is to have it here long enough that people start to recognize it and know that they can depend on it. >> reporter: for now business owners say they welcome the new bathroom but add they'll be holding their breath to see if it plushes the problem. >> -- flushes the problem. >> hard for a lot of businesses

so it's always an issue. >> reporter: in denver nick mcgill, 9news. >> it will be a relief for many of our residents. >> the mobile restroom will toss about $150,000 a year for taxpayers. there's no timetable for how long this trial will last. some of the changes target plans to make to its stores nationwide. >> and an elaborate and interactive science project for 2nd graders.

all your general tax questions. members of the colorado society of certified public accountants are offering up free advice till 5:30, 303-698-0999. students in an elementary school in longmont today took a trip. school bus. if they traveled by rocket, it would have taken them about nine years. hygiene elementary has become a colony on pluto. >> 10, nine, eight. >> reporter: taking a voyage. >> there you go. have a safe trip. >> reporter: out of this world are students at this longmont hygiene elementary school where they are flying above the rest. >> we're definitely flying above the rest. we're flying out of earth. >> reporter: principal renee collier watched her gymnasium transform into a colony on the

welcome to pluto. . >> this is a trampoline house. >> reporter: sharon le grand said it all started here. she is the science, technology, art is and engineering coordinator. >> every grade level has their problem to solve how to colonize pluto. what happens when it's windy outside? >> reporter: from the shelters to the food. >> much of gravity we have you in a protective cover. >> reporter: to a hospital on the dark world. >> because it's very far away from the sun. >> reporter: students designed this all. >> and now these first graders -- 1st graders, for instance, know all about how to do a water filtration system. >> you get to see how the water is processed into the greenhouse. >> reporter: every subject they say found a way to contribute to the pluto metamorphasis. >> i can see the stars. >> to see wow, we've really built a colony as a school. >> we've made everything seem so real. >> reporter: taking students on a field trip. >> they want to know where we're going next year. >> reporter: without ever

in longmont nelson garcia, 9news. >> this is an annual event called hawk air, usually helps students experience a different culture from a different country. this is the first time the trip left the planet and it was the first time it was all designed by the kids. execs at target say shopping at the store will be quite a different experience a year from now as the retailer shifts more focus to its digital business. the company hopes to offer a more seamless way to shop online and pick up those items at stores. they plan to make some stores double as order fulfillment centers to make orders ship out faster. target is testing ideas to make orders more personalized and stores will be reorganized to highlight merchandise many more appealing ways. the retail giant wants to roll out more premium products including organic foods. many of these ideas will be tested in the los angeles area in spring. more honors and accolades today for newly retired 9news anchor mark koebrich. the state honored mark and congratulated him on his

mark has been with 9news since 1980 and has become a fixture in our community. he retired yesterday this time roughly and he is now spending more time with kathy, his wife, his kids and grandkids and today they went to the legislature. >> tell me it's not strange to see him on that side of the camera. >> it's bizarre. it's really strange. >> it's not natural. we love him and he is so heavy. he bounded out the door yesterday grinning and saying talk to you soon. >> wipe that smile off. this stretch of warm mostly sunny days is likely to carry us through the weekend. >> then you get some changes come monday, details next in kathy's forecast. >> hello from new york. what a day in politics. mitt romney's point by point takedown of donald trump and trump's response.

congratulations. you're more than halfway through the week. we can see the weekend from here. how nice to have a calmer day with less wind. i'm meteorologist kathy sabine outside here in the 9news backyard. if you haven't been out yet today, you should head out. it's beautiful.

area and temperatures in the mid-60s now dropping to the mid- 50s. that high thin cloud veil will keep overnight minimums up as well. dia reporting 62 degrees, our official weather station located at the airport, reporting calm winds for a change. air pressure 29.95 inches of mercury falling now and it's dry. humidity 10%. beautiful in the backyard outside the studios where our numbers are also running above average this time of year. 60 degrees in the city. winds have been a big feature for us, but those warm westerly and northwesterly downsloping winds pushing temperatures above average in the high country across western colorado, but we have mid-60s in greeley, close to 70 in southeastern colorado and the trend will be for warmer weather heading into the weekend. now there is a bit of wind. those of you watching me in the high country and foothills are like hey, it's not entirely calm out here, winds out of the north, northwest blowing 20 to 30 miles per hour, close to 40 over some of the higher passes. that's the feature when you

temperatures, but we're also tracking a weak weather system cruising our way from the northwest. we need the moisture. look at the humidity values. it is tinder dry out there. with the warm weather, low humidity and gusty winds, current drought monitor while not changing a lot in colorado, across the western u.s. a severe scenario is shaping up. they could desperately use more rain in california. i know the song says it never rains in california and this year they haven't had nearly enough, although in an el nino year they've done better than they have in the last three to four years. a progressive weather pattern now that has these series of storm systems coming in off the pacific cruising quickly over colorado and blowing up out across the east and northeast where they become big problems. we have a fast moving front that will cross the state tomorrow, warm air pushing into the south, really cool air riding the jets through the midwest where it's basically rain but also the threat of severe weather across the southeast and the carolinas

on a busy friday. notice how the jet dream is carrying that colder air in, but notice the really cold air retreating north of us. with the wind shift tomorrow to the southwest we'll see highs above average even with that weak little front during the day. on the northwest flow tonight high and midlevel clouds. notice how you kind of settle in along the front range. you look outside. that's what we're looking at. it won't change much overnight. we get a little cloud bank tomorrow morning. they push out, build back in. the winds will go northwest, then northeast. they shouldn't be a big player except for when that front first arrives, you'll probably know it because we'll get a big blast of wind. 30 in grand lake, 32 greeley, 31 in lamar, relatively mild with that cloud blankets. 70s on the map for friday, not bad. our snowiest month on average and we have rain in the extended forecast in this above continuing. let me show you. as we look at the denver weather forecast tonight, we have high clouds, lighter winds

we drop down to 32 for a low. mid-50s by lunchtime and low 60s in the afternoon. light polar fleece is the best you'll need tomorrow morning. heading into the weekend mid- 60s saturday, 7 sunday ahead of a slightly -- 70 sunday ahead of a slightly stronger system. i had rain in actually. might miss the snow. skies clear tuesday, upper 40s, low 50s the first couple days of the new week and then temperatures just warm so quickly. 70 thursday, mid-70s friday and a beautiful weather forecast as we move through the -- well, next week is actually the first full week of march. hey, drew is in next. you do not want to miss what he has to say.

on wall street another day of modest gains, price of oil stabilizing after nearly two years of declines. today the energy sector erased all its losses from the beginning of the year.

from colorado sports leader, here's drew soicher. >> hi, everybody. broncos might improve their offense by getting rid of the greatest quarterback of all time. peyton manning hasn't notified the team if he intends to retire or continue playing football. either way the broncos are moving on without him and hope to resign brock osweiler who could be an upgrade from the hall of famer manning. can the broncos be better without peyton manning? >> it is hard to believe that and they're going to miss his leadership, but the passing game can be better. i do think, though, it's going to be a transition year. i will say this. it won't be near as fun without peyton manning. i'm not sure that the broncos will be as magnetic team to the nation without peyton manning, but i do think brock osweiler can be a better quarterback.

than peyton manning is right now and maybe by time the end of the season he can become a better quarterback than was the 39-year-old version of peyton manning. >> klis and tell. avalanche forward mikkel boedker plays his first home game since being traded to the avalanche tonight. as 9news sports reporter rod mackey shows us, boedker has an appreciation for avs history. >> reporter: at least alex tanguay left on an up, a goal outdoors in his last game, but the long time av, the only player still connected to the stanley cup hadn't done enough, so now he's done in denver traded away. the avs have put their eggs in michael boedker's basket, the new forward hoping to help colorado get back to the postseason. >> i think when you put on the jersey, you kind of realize that a new journey starts for real and it's fun to put on a jersey like that. you grow up admiring forsberg

jersey and hopefully there's many more time to comeful. >> reporter: boedker did assist on the avs first goal in his first game, but it will take time to totally gel with his new line mates. time. >> obviously the quicker, the been easy. the guys in the room are really easy going and easy guys. so that part's been really easy, but obviously on the ice you got to find chemistry. >> chemistry is a big part of what makes it a good line combination, i guess, but i felt like we had -- for being the first game together i think we blade pretty good. -- played pretty good. >> reporter: now the goal is to make this look even better. kobe bryant only scored five points in his denver farewell game but made the night memorable for a couple fans. late in the 4th quarter the lakers lost to the nuggets. bryant took off his size 14

delivered the pair to some kids sitting near the team's bench. what a nice gesture. >> the young lady that was sitting in from of them, they had a little contest going on. they wanted to know what the name of our pet dog was. i gave them a clue and said it's in a potter film, so every time out they'd throw out like 15 names. the deal was if they got it, i'd give them my shoes and so they got it. >> a game within a game. every time he ran back down to this end of the court, he'd have more labs. his name is crucio. >> i didn't know that. when the boss keeps saying that you are crucio to our news, i thought that meant crucial. >> yes. >> it doesn't. >> you thought it was a compliment?

>> this is awkward now. >> cheap shot actually. >> well. let's set that aside and talk about weather instead. >> okay. how about from that to sun balls and 70? back to you. >> really? >> yeah, look. it's right there. i got 60 tomorrow and there's a little front coming through, but saturday we're good, sunday shorts weather and maybe rain in our snowiest month. >> very nice. your february streak continues right through the first week of march. you're stretching this out. >> that's pretty crucio, too. >> that is hurtful. hurting my heart. >> nightly news is next.

breaking news tonight. clash of the titans. mitt romney unleashing a blistering attack on donald trump, calling him a phony, a fraud, warning republicans to stop him. trump fires back and the gop braces for all-out war. caught on camera, a school police officer smacking and kicking a 16-year-old, triggering outrage and a criminal investigation. surprise announcement from soccer superstar brandi chastain, years after her iconic victory celebration. why she said she's donating her brain to science. the price you pay for health care, a new way