Triple murder suspects ‘changed,’ friends say

Cody High School Equus

Those who know the two former Cody High School students charged in a triple homicide in Clark noticed changes in the two prior to the March 2 incident.

Stephen Hammer, 19 and Tanner VanPelt, 19, are expected to enter pleas in district court 10 and 11 a.m., respectively, May 22.

Former girlfriend of VanPelt and CHS sophomore Kaitlyn Jacobs said she noticed the change in her friend in the months before the murder.

“Most definitely (I saw a difference),” Jacobs said. “The last time I talked to him, he acted in sort of a bipolar way. He would say one thing and then the next text would be the exact opposite. It was really unlike him.”

A former roommate, Jordan Roof, also noticed a change in VanPelt and Hammer and said the attitude switch might have been due to drugs.

“I started staying there early January and left middle-to-late February,” Roof said. “I noticed they were coming home more and more messed up and I didn’t want to be around it.”

Another friend, 2012 CHS graduate Spence Lenz, said the pair might have been involved in negative situations.

“I believe they were both hanging out with people that weren’t doing really good things with their time,” Lenz said. “(VanPelt) and (Hammer) just got influenced too easily and they completely lost who they truly were.”

According to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by the Equus, on Feb. 26, the pair allegedly broke into Cody Sports and Pawn and stole nine handguns and one revolver. On March 2, they drove to Clark in search of a car to escape to Denver. VanPelt allegedly got into an argument in the kitchen with Ildiko Freitas, 40, which ended with him shooting her.

Hammer then shot Hildegard Volgyesi, 70, when he found her in the basement. VanPelt then allegedly shot Janos Volgyesi, 69, in the back twice in the garage and the pair stole an Audi.

Roof said he was bewildered when he found out.

“(VanPelt) and (Hammer), in my opinion, were good people,” Roof said. “I was extremely shocked when I found out what they did. I thought, ‘there had to have been a mistake, (VanPelt) and (Hammer) would never do something this awful.’”

Lenz said this crime is not what he’s seen from his friends previously.

“I know a whole different side of Tanner,” Lenz said. “Hell, I knew Tanner better than he knew himself. I love these guys, but I am disgusted by what they have done.”

Roof said the influences the pair were under can change lives.

“I think this is a good example of what hard drugs can do to people,” Roof said. “Tanner and Stephen, from what I know and observed personally, were kind, good-hearted people – until they got into the drugs.”

Jacobs said she wishes she could change the events that transpired and offered advice to those with loved ones who might be struggling.

“I lost my best friend forever and nothing can change that, even though I wish I somehow could,” Jacobs said. “I think the most important thing to get out of this situation is that if you see a family member or friend’s mood or behavior change, talk to them. If I could go back in time, I would rather Tanner be angry at me than losing him and those three innocent people losing their lives as well.”