Tracy Aaron Rinebarger and his wife Joanne Marlee (Galla) Rinebarger are shown in a Facebook photo.

Teen held

as suspect



By RUTH HEIDE

RIO GRANDE COUNTY — Two people found dead in their home on Tuesday afternoon in the Rock Creek area have been identified as Tracy Aaron Rinebarger, 38, and his wife Joanne Marlee (Galla) Rinebarger, 34.

Joanne Rinebarger’s teenage son is being held in a juvenile detention facility as a possible suspect in this case. He was not located at the scene but was later apprehended by the Park County Sheriff’s Office on an unrelated charge.

After an extensive interview with agents from CBI, the suspect was arrested on charges related to the Rinebarger deaths.

Those pending charges were not released on Wednesday. The suspect will be held in custody until further court proceedings.

Authorities are not looking for any other suspects.

Rio Grande County Sheriff Brian Norton, who worked with Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agents through the night on Tuesday, said charges are pending and should be filed by the close of business on Friday. He did not release the pending charges or cause of death. He said the district attorney’s office would file specific charges soon.

The victims’ bodies have been transported to El Paso County for autopsies according to the sheriff and Rio Grande County Coroner Rusty Strohmayer. Strohmayer said on Wednesday he expected to receive word on the autopsies on Thursday.

Strohmayer added that although he had ideas about the cause of death he would have to wait to announce anything until the autopsy report is complete. He said the family has not yet selected a funeral home so no service arrangements are yet available.

Norton said a family member found the Rinebargers dead at their home at 3219 County Road 28 on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 27, and his office was called out at 2:12 p.m.

“Rio Grande County deputies were dispatched ... in response to a report of a deceased male and female,” Norton said in a release Wednesday.

CBI was notified, and a field agent came from the Pueblo CBI office and a lab agent from the Durango CBI office.

Sheriff Norton said the crime scene was processed and the victims identified. His staff worked with CBI staff all night Tuesday and into the morning on Wednesday.

“We did a really super job on this case working together as an agency and CBI,” Norton said Wednesday morning. “We worked this case from start to finish as far as the investigation and collecting evidence in a timely manner.”

The 14-year-old son of Joanne Rinebarger and stepson of Tracy Rinebarger is in custody.

Tracy and Joanne had only recently married.

Tracy is a Monte Vista High School graduate who was a record-setting athlete while in school and was working in the agricultural sector in the San Luis Valley.

From his Web site postings, Tracy enjoyed comedies, especially Adam Sandler’s, potatoes, fishing, The Pittsburgh Steelers and Little Debbies.

From Joanne Marlee Galla-Rinebarger’s Web site postings, she enjoyed music like “What About Now?” that she described as “another cool song,” and “Send Me An Angel” that she described as a “really beautiful song.” She had links to the Pet Society, The Animal Rescue Site and The Breast Cancer Site. She spoke about her dog and cats, featured pictures of a rainbow, flowers and children playing and talked about missing a daughter and watching “Madagascar” with her son. She said she enjoyed barbecues, “laughing until it hurts” and Little Debbies, like Tracy also enjoyed.

Recent postings complained about the snow, congratulated the Broncos and shared mixed feelings about her birthday. One of her recent postings stated “just sitting here thinking about life.”

Friends posted responses on Tracy’s Web site on Wednesday after hearing of his death ... “before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven” and on Joanne’s Web site, “Rip joanne i will miss you soooo much you were such a good friend i just cant believe your gone i love you girl.”