Potter Guilty Of First Degree Murder In Badger Mountain Shooting

The 28-year-old man accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend on Badger Mountain back in January is guilty of first-degree murder, according to a jury decision. 

The 12-member jury in Douglas County Superior Court unanimously found that Dalton Scott Potter murdered 37-year-old Alyssa Ann Longwell on January 21 in the 1700 block of Badger Mountain Rd. 

The jury also found Potter guilty of charges related to accusations he shot at a father and daughter who witnessed the shooting.  

The father and daughter were not injured. 

The other charges in which Potter was found guilty included three counts of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of intimidating a witness with a deadly weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm. 

The jury acquitted Potter of a first-degree robbery charge. 

In addition, the jury signed special verdict forms in which they found Potter in possession of a firearm during all the crimes he was convicted of, and a special verdict form finding that Potter and Longwell were intimate partners.  

The six-day trial began on October 23 and ended Monday with the jury’s verdict. 

A date has not been set for Potter's sentencing. 

His case was delayed over time by his continued refusal to be cooperative in court, and by a competency evaluation in which a psychologist cleared him to stand trial. 

There was also a hearing to determine if any statement of guilt he might have made could be used as evidence.  

The presiding judge in the case, John Knodell, determined that statements made by Potter to a detective after he was given Miranda rights are not admissible in court. 

Knodell determined statements in three other instances were not the product of custodial interrogation and are admissible. 

At one time his trial was set for 10 days between May 1-12, before there were further delays. 

Potter’s charges were amended earlier in October with the number of charges against him reduced from 13 to nine.