A grand jury announced the indictment Friday of 52-year-old Ronald Lowry, who is accused of killing his wife in October 2023 and staging the crime scene to look like a suicide.

Lowry, who was arrested Friday in Morgan County, was charged with six counts, including first-degree murder, stalking and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of his estranged wife, Richelle Lowry, 42, according to an 18th Judicial District news release.

In late October 2023, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a welfare check at Richelle Lowry’s house in Bennett after she failed to come to work and could not be reached, according to the indictment.

Deputies forced entry into the house and found her dead with a gunshot wound to the head. Wedding photos were scattered on the dining room table and master bedroom bed, and a note from Ronald to Richelle indicating he still loved her was left on the bed, the indictment said.

Deputies also found her phone partially submerged in a bowl of water.

Initially, her death was believed to be a suicide but was later ruled a homicide. Had her death been ruled suicide, Lowry would have stood to gain almost $1.5 million, excluding other expensive assets, according to the indictment.

The indictment states Richelle had told a friend earlier that month that she was in fear for her life, saying she received threats from her husband’s friends and had found nails under the tires of her car parked in the garage, which only Ronald had access to.

Richelle had also overheard a conversation between Ronald and his brother in which the two were “plotting” ways to get insurance money after her death, the indictment said.

She told her friend that “if anything happened to her, Ronald would be responsible,” and was “very adamant” that she would not commit suicide, according to the indictment.

On Ronald’s phone, investigators found multiple videos of Richelle and another man at a golf course together. Data from his cellphone showed that he had a pattern of following her and showing up at her house without warning in the month leading up to her death.

Ronald Lowry was booked into the Morgan County Jail on Friday, where he remains in custody. He is charged with the following, and all counts are charged as acts of domestic violence, according to the news release.

 • First-degree murder (after deliberation)

 • Stalking (two counts)

 • Tampering with physical evidence

 • Crime of violence causing serious bodily injury or death

 • Crime of violence using a deadly weapon

District Attorney Amy Padden said the indictment is an “important step” in getting justice for Richelle.

“My office remains committed to holding individuals accountable when that evidence supports criminal charges,” Padden said in the release.

Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley called the case a “result of extraordinary dedication and perseverance” by investigators.

“They left no stone unturned in their pursuit of the truth, carefully examining every piece of forensic, digital, and testimonial evidence over the course of this investigation,” Brackley said in the release. “Their commitment to seeking answers and refusing to give up has been instrumental in bringing this case forward.”