[trussell]

Sena to be charged in shooting

June 11, 2002

By Katharhynn Heidelberg

Journal Staff Writer

District Attorney Joe Olt is planning to charge a man accused in the shotgun and knife attack of Melissa Elliott with first-degree premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder, Olt said Monday.

Elliott, 35, was shot and attacked Thursday night, allegedly by Dante Sena, 41, after their vehicles collided on Fifth Street. According to police, Sena fired four shots into Elliott’s Pontiac, wounding her in the face, neck and arm, and then cut her with a knife, injuring her throat and windpipe.

The mother of four remained in critical condition Monday at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction. The Journal had been advised Friday by an ICU nurse that Elliott was in serious condition; however, a hospital spokesman said she was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon. He would not provide specific details about her injuries, but they reportedly include extensive damage to her face.

Olt said the first-degree premeditated-murder charge, a Class 1 felony, is a precaution his office is pursuing. "We’re not sure of her condition. She seems to be getting better, but it’s very scary. We’re charging it so he doesn’t get off the hook. We want him to know we think what he did was wrong," Olt said.

Olt is hoping for Elliott’s full recovery. In that event, the murder charge will "go away," he said, and Sena will be tried on the attempted-premeditated-murder charge, a Class 2 felony.

Olt declined to comment on a motive, but police earlier have said the two knew each other.

Elliott’s family is distraught, Olt said. "They’re very scared. They have no idea why this happened."

Olt expected to file the charges either Monday afternoon or this morning. Sena will be advised on them in county court Wednesday at 9 a.m.

Sena was being held without bond over the weekend while the court ascertained Elliott’s condition. Upon being informed that "medical personnel were confident that her injuries would not prove fatal," Montezuma County Court Judge Christopher Leroi reset bond at $100,000.

If Sena is able to make bond, he will be placed on home detention — a condition Olt said was not customary for bond. Sena would also be prohibited from consuming drugs or alcohol and monitored accordingly, and could not possess or have access to weapons or firearms.

He is also prohibited having "any contact whatsoever with Elliott or any witness," according to a court order regarding bond filed Monday morning.

The attack is still under investigation, according to Cortez Police Department Lt. Detective Jim Shethar.

"No new information has come up," he said. "We’re just trying to correlate all that we have and finish reports. I think we have a handle on the information."

The police plan to interview Elliott when she is able to speak to them, Shethar said.

Personal note from me. From what I have heard, she had had to have a hand amputated because she used it to shield her face from the bullets. She is Blind, and will probably not be able to return to work.

They are concerned about the possiblity of infection, which is common in shot gun injuries.

Please keep her in prayer, and ping anyone else who would be willing to pray for her. Thank you.

Tracy

[Cultural Jihad]

Sena would also be prohibited from consuming drugs or alcohol and monitored accordingly, and could not possess or have access to weapons or firearms.

Unbelievably, there are actual human beings who would whine at such alleged unfairness.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for the update, trussell. I will keep her in my prayers.

[dansangel]

"If Sena is able to make bond, he will be placed on home detention - "

If that's not a scary thought....there should be no "if" involved. After such a heinous and premeditated crime, he ought to be held WITHOUT bond.

We are so soft on criminals.

Prayers for the recovery of this unfortunate victim. She will not be whole physically, but may she heal from within.

[glock rocks]

this is so sad. thank you for the update.

continuing prayers.

[IronJack]

A gibbet is too good for this cockroach.

[Humidston]

Thank you for the update, Trussell.

God, please continue to give her the strength to fight for life!

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the update, FRiend!
To say that Dante Sena is an animal would be an insult to animals around the world.
He is slime..........

[Pablo64]

Your update confirms what my sister reported back to me today. She lives in Cortez and because of her involvement in various community things knows quite a few people (not to mention the fact that Cortez is still a relatively small town even with the growth of the last few years). Here is what she emailed to me regarding this tragedy:

Sorry I haven't checked my e-mail lately I have been doing closings for the past two weeks while Liz is gone. That story is pretty interesting, I don't know either of them, but they were having an affair with each other and I am not sure what got into him. You probably heard that he first ran into her car then he shot her 4 times with a shot gun, one shot blew out her eye, the other one got her jaw, one missed and the other one she was holding her hands over her face to protect her and shot her arm. I have gotton several stories on how she is doing so what is true I really don't know. I have heard that they had to remove her eye so she will be legally blind and somebody said they had to amputate her arm. She went into surgery yesterday to try to fix her jaw I believe so she can eat. I know she commented after he slit her throat "am I going to live because I have 4 children" pretty sad story. I guess that is just another reason why you shouldn't have affairs.

Continued prayers for this lady and her family.