By Shannon Lukens.
The person charged with the alleged stabbing of preschool teacher Kylie Leggett in April of 2024, will be tried as an adult in District Court. Judge Brittany A. Schneider issued the ruling Monday. Since he is being tried as an adult, his name is being released. He is 17-year-old Holt Lemaster from Steamboat Springs.
“My heart is so happy. My heart is happy for myself as the victim but my heart is so happy for our community. This person has caused so much trouble, to not just me, to everybody involved and everyone that lives in Steamboat. And I just cannot contain my excitement and the fact that my voice was heard.”
29-year-old Leggett was housesitting when she was stabbed. She was in the hospital for a month and can never have children because of her injuries.
Lemaster was 16 at the time. He is being charged with three separate counts of Attempted Second Degree Murder, First Degree Assault, and Attempted Second Degree Burglary, with six sentence enhancers (Violent Juvenile Offender). Lemaster has been at the Grand Mesa Youth Services Center in Grand Junction since the incident. A new court date will be set.
- 1) Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder in the Second Degree, C.R.S. 18-3-103(1)(a); 18- 2-101 (Class 3 Felony);
- 2) Assault in the First Degree, C.R.S. 18-3-202(1)(a) (Class 3 Felony);
- 3) Criminal Attempt to Commit First Degree Burglary, C.R.S. 18-3-202(1); 18-2-101 (Class 4 Felony);
- 4) Mandatory Sentence Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(1)(a);
- 5) Mandatory Sentence Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(1)(a);
- 6) Repeat Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(2);
- 7) Violent Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(3); 18-1.3-406(2)(a)(I)(A);
- 8) Violent Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(3); 18-1.3-406(2)(a)(I)(A);
- 9) Violent Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(3); 18-1.3-406(2)(a)(I)(A);
- 10) Violent Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(3); 18-1.3-406(2)(a)(I)(A);
- 11) Violent Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(3); 18-1.3-406(2)(a)(I)(A);
- 12) Violent Juvenile Offender, C.R.S. 19-2.5-1125(3); 18-1.3-406(2)(a)(I)(A);
The report from the judge also said Lemaster was already on probation and had multiple juvenile offenses.
The ORDER REGARDING PROBABLE CAUSE AND TRANSFER says:
“There was nobody with her in the home except the family dog. Ms. Leggett was in bed trying to sleep when the dog began growling. At first, Ms. Leggett did not think anything of it but got out of bed when the dog continued to bark. Ms. Leggett walked into the main living area of the house and observed a flashlight on the deck. At this point, Ms. Leggett hid her own flashlight on her telephone by pressing it against her heart. The lights in the home were out. She observed a person walking up the porch stairs, onto the deck, and to the sliding door. The person then began jiggling the handle of the sliding glass door.
Ms. Leggett at this point put her phone, flashlight side down, onto the couch and went to the sliding door, opened it, and began pushing at the intruder and screaming. The person at the door was much taller than Ms. Leggett, but she attempted to push the person away from the door by pushing on his chest. Ms. Leggett did not see a knife in the person’s hand. At no time did she see a knife during the encounter. Ms. Leggett identified the person who was at the door as male Page 7 of 22 because when she pushed at the person’s chest, she felt no breasts, no bra, no other indications that this person might be female.
The person at the door wore a ski mask, so Ms. Leggett herself could not positively identify him, beyond noting that he was a white male. Ms. Leggett has never met the Juvenile. She was able to see his hands. She also observed that he was wearing a black, fuzzy jacket and a red shirt with a white undershirt and blue jeans.
Within about five seconds of the confrontation, while an inch or two away from the person standing at the threshold of the door, Ms. Leggett felt something wet and then the person at the door ran off. Ms. Leggett ran to the door, locked it, and called 911. Ms. Leggett did not feel pain immediately but recalled feeling blood. She would later learn that she had been stabbed twice. Ms. Leggett was admitted to the hospital for a month, during which time she underwent five surgeries, suffered from acute blood loss, an abdominal infection, and had 7 drains put in. She suffered a liver laceration and an injury to her pancreas. It is likely that Ms. Leggett will have to have a portion of her pancreas removed at some point, which will render her diabetic.”
The document goes on to say, “Following the incident, among other medical and psychological ailments, Ms. Leggett is unable to eat normally and will be unable to bear children.”
The report says Steamboat Springs Police reached out to the family of Lemaster and obtained a search warrant for the home. “Upon execution of the search warrant for the juvenile’s home, they located and collected a Gerber knife in a sheath on the couch in the living room (People’s Exhibits 20, 21, 25 and 26), as well as a red Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s t-shirt in the Juvenile’s bathroom (People’s 22, 27, 28, 29), and four black face masks in the closet (People’s 30). The Juvenile’s DNA was collected through buccal swabs.”
Forensic analysis was done on the items collected. Cell phone records were also obtained through a warrant and the report says they, “determined that between 3:06 and 3:13 a.m., Juvenile’s phone was moving away from the Lemaster residence, and toward the Shattuck residence, and that between 3:21 and 3:25 a.m., the phone was moving away from the Shattuck residence toward the Lemaster residence.”
Regarding the charges, Judge Schneider wrote, “The juvenile in this matter is charged with Attempted Second Degree Murder, First Degree Assault, and Attempted Second Degree Burglary. The seriousness of this offense cannot be overstated.”
If Lemaster would to remain in juvenile court, the maximum period of commitment to the department of human services would be two years. Judge Schneider noted that he was on probation when he committed these offenses, and “The juvenile has received several opportunities to rehabilitate through the juvenile justice system, having been adjudicated delinquent multiple times and failed to successfully complete his juvenile probation prior to the incident that gave rise to this case.”
Judge Schneider also wrote, “The alleged offenses in this case were committed in an aggressive and violent manner. The burglary at least, was also committed in a premeditated a willful manner.”
“The community at large has an interest in knowing that their homes are safe from predatory behaviors that result in violent outcomes at the hands of this Juvenile.”
The report talks about Lemasters history in the juvenile justice system in Routt County, dating back to 2018 in six separate filings, and a possible assault charge in Denver.
Judge Schneider’s report also talks about Leggett. “The impact of the offense on the victim cannot be understated. Ms. Leggett, a young active and previously healthy woman, had her life fundamentally altered by a stranger who showed up at the door of a home where she was housesitting and stabbed her twice in the abdomen. She suffered a laceration to her pancreas and a laceration to her liver. She will never bear children because of her injuries. She is unable to eat normally and must take medications to be able to consume the food that she can eat. She supplements her diet with IV infusions.
At some point, she will have to undergo surgery to remove the tail of her pancreas, which will render her an instant diabetic. The physical scarring from the incident will provide a constant reminder of the horrific experience, and the emotional scarring remains present as well.
Ms. Leggett describes not being able to use a kitchen knife because it causes her brain to go back to that night and the blood on her hands. Visits to the hospital and medications have become a part of what she describes as the “new normal” she is trying to find, all while dealing with trauma and fear that keeps her awake at night. This factor weighs heavily in favor of transfer.”
The final ruling states: “Having considered, weighed, and balanced the statutory factors, the Court concludes that the interest of the Juvenile and the community-at-large would not be better served by retaining jurisdiction in the juvenile court. The Court thus GRANTS the People’s Motion for Transfer and certifies the Juvenile to the District Court for further proceedings.”
So ordered this 3rd day of March, 2025. BY THE COURT: Brittany Schneider District Court Judge
Lemaster has been at the Grand Mesa Youth Services Center in Grand Junction since the incident. The director of the facility says they will not provide a picture of Lemaster and the Routt County Sheriff’s Office does not have one.
A Status Conference is at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 4, in Routt County Courtroom 2B.
Leggett has set up a GoFundMe Page called, “Support Kylie’s Road to Recovery.” It says, “How Your Support Will Help: The funds raised will help cover ongoing medical expenses, treatments, prescriptions, and physical therapy. Your generosity will also assist with daily living costs, including modifications to my home, transportation, and care that I need as I adjust to a new way of life.”
- More on the Story — The juvenile charged with the stabbing of a local pre-school teacher will be tried as an adult
- Feb. 2, 2025 — Judge hears closing arguments on whether to try juvenile suspect as an adult in the case involving the stabbing of a local pre-school teacher
- May 30, 2024 — Pre-school teacher Kylie Leggett returns after 30 days in the hospital
Ranchers in Rio Blanco County and the Meeker/White River area are receiving daily updates on wolf activity from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Monday’s report said two collared female wolves and one collared male are moving in Rio Blanco County. The text to ranchers ended with, “Lots of wolf activity in the area today.” The full text:
“Collared female wolf 2516-BC that was in the Meadow Lake area moved west, with a last known location near Howey Reservoir as of last night. (Sunday night)
There is also a second collared female wolf 2510-BC that moved into the western part of our area yesterday (Sunday) with a last known location near the Square S Summer Range.
Finally, there is a third collared male wolf 2507-BC that moved into the northern part of our area yesterday (Sunday) with a last known location in the Williams Fork Drainage.
Lots of wolf activity in area today.” (Monday)
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission is meeting Wednesday and Thursday (March 5-6) in Denver. An update on the wolf program is at 1:35 p.m. Wednesday with public comment at 2:05 p.m.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife also says fishing licenses are now available for the season. This is for annual, daily, and multi-day licenses. Those 15 and under can fish for free. Purchase a license through CPWShop.com, or in person at a CPW office. Or call 800-244-5613.
More on the Story — Fishing licenses in Colorado are available for the season
Bears are waking up with the recent warm weather, according to Keep Bears Wild-Steamboat. They’re hungry so lock up your trash and bring in your bird feeders.
Northwest Colorado’s CredibleMind Platform proves to be a valuable mental health resource. This week’s Mental Health Minute, is also a “Yampa Valley Safety Net for Routt and Moffat counties.” It is posted on our website.
Yampa Valley Safety Net for Routt and Moffat counties
Tonight is History Happy Hour with Tread of Pioneers Museum. The subject is “Beer on the Frontier: How Suds and Saloons Made the West.” It’s at 5:30 p.m. in Olympian Hall at Howelsen Hill.
And we have some very happy news…
The Steamboat Sailors hockey team are the CHSAA 4A State Champions! The Sailors beat Glenwood 4-2 Monday night in the state championship game in Denver. The Sailors hockey team was started in 2003, and it’s the first time they’ve won the state hockey championships!
Check out what’s happening in the Yampa Valley on the Community Calendar on our website.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.