Man draws life sentence in brutal Lakewood murder

JEFFERSON COUNTY – An Aurora man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the brutal 2008 murder of his estranged wife, who was repeatedly stabbed after she sought refuge in her mother’s Lakewood home.

A Jeffco District Court jury late last week found Rodricke Shari, 39, guilty of the murder of his wife, Kathryn Young, in May 2008. Shari was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on charges of first-degree murder and felony murder. He also was sentenced to a 10-year prison stretch on an aggravated robbery charge in connection with the murder, and the judge ordered that sentence to be served consecutively to the life sentences.

Shari has a history of domestic violence and was on parole on a drug conviction when he killed Young, prosecutors said.

“We are pleased with the verdict, but it doesn’t bring Kathryn Young back,” said District Attorney Scott Storey. “The biggest tragedy is that she was trying to get away, to get to safety. Domestic Violence is so insidious; it destroys lives, families and communities. We’ve created a Family Violence Unit to help us add another layer of safety. We can improve our prevention efforts and do a better job of getting resources to women who are trying to get to safety.”

Lakewood Police were called to 679 S. Reed to do a welfare check on 34 year-old Kathryn Young on May 9, 2008. Officers found Young dead, lying on the bed. It was later determined that Young had been stabbed 21 times. Investigators also learned that Young had moved out of the Aurora home she shared with Shari in an attempt to escape from him and his violent temper.

Prosecutors also charged Shari with stealing almost $700 Young had earned as tips from waiting tables at a local Red Lobster restaurant. Young’s co-workers at the restaurant told police that the woman left Shari because he was so violent and that she lived in fear that he would track her to the apartment on South Reed where she was living with her mother. Investigators said Shari at times was seen in the restaurant’s parking lot and attempt to contact Young. Court documents indicate that Shari told a cellmate he killed Young because she had been dating other men and had no paid up on a drug debt she owed him.

The jury deliberated just more than one day before finding Shari guilty Thursday after a two-week trial.