Justice for Thermopolis man

A man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his part in a June 2014 attack on Thermopolis resident Jadon Jellis. The sentencing took place in the Summit County District Court in Colorado.

Tyrus Vanmatre, 21, was convicted in Sept. 2015 on charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit assault, menacing and reckless endangerment.

Vanmatre, who was 20 when the attack occurred, along with a then 16-year-old accomplice, lured Jellis to the woods under the guise of going to a party. As the three were hiking through the hills to the party, the 16-year-old tried to tase Jellis with a stun gun. Vanmatre then struck Jellis across the face, head and hand with an 18-inch serrated machete. Jellis fought back using a knife he had taken from the vehicle earlier when he sensed that something was not right. Jellis fended off his attackers and escaped down the mountain where he flagged down a passing deputy from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

Jellis received severe injuries to his face and hands during the attack.

Vanmatre was sentenced to life in prison on the first-degree kidnapping charge and to an additional 112 years on prison, to be served concurrently with the life sentence, on the other charges.

The 16-year-old accomplice was originally charged as an adult but his case was moved to juvenile court after a motion was filed by his lawyer. He was sentenced to five years in the Department of Youth Corrections.