‘Everything seemed fine’: Family still processing Castle Rock woman’s homicide
DENVER (KDVR) — On April 26, 2022, a house fire summoned family members to their home in Castle Rock, but they did not know the tragedy would also take the life of one of their loved ones.
On that day, they lost their mother, grandmother, caretaker and friend: 59-year-old Elizabeth Bjorlow.
FOX31’s Kirk Yuhnke sat down with her family, who are still coming to terms with what happened.
Police said Elizabeth Bjorlow was killed in her own home by her adult son, Matthew Buchanan. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 29 for an arraignment.
“I knew it was more than the bathroom fire and knew something was wrong. And I tried getting down there to talk to her, so I was like, ‘What’s going on now?'” Bryan Bjorlow, Elizabeth’s husband, told Yuhnke. “The fire marshal grabbed me, and another police officer came up and told me my wife was dead.”
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Police said Buchanan was 32 at the time of his mother’s death and had lived with the couple for 16 years. Bryan Bjorlow said while there were disagreements, there was nothing out of the ordinary in the household.
“The night before, everything was normal, I left for work,” he recalled. “Everything was normal. I’m talking to my wife on the phone right before everything happened, and everything was normal.”
SkyFOX flew above the scene of a fire on Dove Place in Castle Rock that killed one on April 26, 2022. FOX31 crews were at the scene of a fire on Dove Place in Castle Rock that killed one on April 26, 2022. FOX31 crews were at the scene of a fire on Dove Place in Castle Rock that killed one on April 26, 2022. FOX31 crews were at the scene of a fire on Dove Place in Castle Rock that killed one on April 26, 2022.
Castle Rock law enforcement told the family that Elizabeth was stabbed multiple times before the house was set on fire. After the blaze, her son fled the state. He was picked up by law enforcement in Florida and extradited to Colorado.
2 years have passed without answers
Elizabeth’s eldest daughter still wishes for answers about her mother’s death.
“I do want to bring some light to whatever this was that happened,” she told Yuhnke. “I mean, my mother was this beautiful … I mean, she was healthy, she was happy, everything seemed fine. And then she was brutally murdered.”
On Friday, the family focused on remembering Elizabeth’s life and best qualities, not the circumstances surrounding her death.
The family said “Liz” was a loving mother and grandmother who was married to Bryan Bjorlow for 23 years. She was a caretaker, helping take care of her brother-in-law after he suffered a stroke.
Elizabeth Bjorlow and one of her children. Elizabeth Bjorlow and two of her children.
“She was a very warm-hearted, loving, caring person,” Bjorlow’s daughter said. “She loved her God very much. She loved her family very much.”
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“Every single time I came home to her house, even if it wasn’t the same house I grew up in or whatever, I always felt at home, and that’s what I really remember the most about my mother,” she reminisced.
The family is left waiting for answers and justice, knowing that nothing will bring their loved one back.
“I was just beginning my divorce process, too,” Bjorlow’s daughter said. “I really needed my mother at that point in my life. I miss her every day.”
According to court records, Buchanan is facing charges of:
First-degree murder after deliberation
First-degree attempted murder after deliberation
Two counts of arson
Tampering with a deceased human body
Criminal mischief of between $20,000-$100,000
Tampering with physical evidence to destroy it
Three counts of aggravated attempted cruelty to animals
Telephone harassment
Buchanan remains in police custody on a bond of $10 million. The animal cruelty charges stem from dogs that were inside the house during the fire, according to arrest affidavits. The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office told Yuhnke that there are no plea deals on the table, but that could change.
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Bryan Bjorlow said he would rather see the case go to trial than see his stepson take a plea deal. The family is expected to be in court on Monday to see what happens next.
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