{"id":15110,"date":"2025-12-23T22:32:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T05:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/durango-man-found-guilty-of-second-degree-murder-in-motel-shooting\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:45:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T03:45:29","slug":"durango-man-found-guilty-of-second-degree-murder-in-motel-shooting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/durango-man-found-guilty-of-second-degree-murder-in-motel-shooting\/","title":{"rendered":"Durango man found guilty of second-degree murder in motel shooting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"A
A 25-year-old man was shot early Wednesday at the Wapiti Lodge in Durango. The man was flown to a hospital outside the region in critical condition. (Durango Herald file)<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

A Durango man was found guilty this week of second-degree murder for shooting and killing another man in a motel room in 2023.<\/p>\n

A two-week trial was held this month for Jonnie Cash Kimbrough, now 22, for the Oct. 25, 2023, shooting of Quentin Mayberry at the Wapiti Lodge in west Durango.<\/p>\n

Mayberry forced his way into the room, refused to leave and threatened Kimbrough and Hunter Griswold, according to an arrest affidavit<\/a>. He then sat on a bed, and Kimbrough threatened to shoot him.<\/p>\n

Mayberry all but dared him to fire the weapon, according to the affidavit. Kimbrough shot Mayberry in the head, causing a \u201cnonsurvivable injury,\u201d according to an emergency room doctor affiliated with Mercy Hospital. Mayberry died in the hospital Nov. 1, 2023.<\/p>\n

In closing arguments Friday, prosecutors William Davis and Connor Wills said Kimbrough eliminate a romantic rival out of jealousy and a desire to have Griswold \u201call to himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kimbrough described being in an \u201con again, off again\u201d relationship with Griswold, who had also previously been romantically involved with Mayberry.<\/p>\n

Durango defense attorneys Katherine Whitney and Brian Schowalter said Kimbrough was a scared 20-year-old who responded in self-defense to a \u201cscary individual,\u201d and that he was being manipulated by Griswold.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors said Kimbrough had ample time to consider firing the gun, and he chose to pull the trigger \u2013 making it a deliberate act.<\/p>\n

Griswold told Kimbrough to \u201cstop\u201d and \u201cput the gun down\u201d at least 15 times before the weapon was discharged, Wills said. He said the time it took Kimbrough to retrieve the gun from Griswold\u2019s bag and fix a jam in the gun\u2019s cartridge before firing represented a conscious and deliberate decision to shoot, rather than a heat-of-the-moment reaction.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors showed video calls Kimbrough made with friends and family while he was at the La Plata County Jail. In one call, Kimbrough is seen pumping his fist in the air after hearing that Mayberry died, saying, \u201cMy mission was successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kimbrough\"
Kimbrough<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cShe only has one boyfriend now,\u201d Kimbrough said in another call, referencing Griswold.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t regret a damn thing,\u201d he said in yet another. \u201cI almost feel (expletive) empowered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prosecutors said communications Kimbrough had with friends, family and Griswold also amounted to witness tampering.<\/p>\n

In one call, Kimbrough asked a friend to speak with \u201cmy moon\u201d for him \u2013 believed to be Griswold \u2013 so they could \u201cget on the same page.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a call with Griswold, Griswold said Mayberry didn\u2019t break into the motel room. Kimbrough replied, \u201cI opened the door for you, not for him, and you need to say that or else I\u2019ll spend the rest of my (expletive) life in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The defense said Mayberry had meth in his system. Mayberry\u2019s erratic behavior \u2013 like yelling threats at Kimbrough and Griswold while in the room and daring Kimbrough to shoot \u2013 is evidence of Mayberry being a \u201cscary person,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

Mayberry followed Griswold home after a night out at the bars, and Griswold had texted Kimbrough for help while on her way back to the Wapiti Lodge, Whitney said.<\/p>\n

Griswold also arranged a drug deal the night of Oct. 25 with Mayberry\u2019s help.<\/p>\n

Whitney said Mayberry entered the room despite Kimbrough and Griswold repeatedly verbally denying him entry, making Mayberry\u2019s presence unlawful and Kimbrough\u2019s actions within his legal rights.<\/p>\n

Security camera footage from the night of the incident shows Kimbrough, Mayberry and Griswold seemingly calmly entering the room together. Kimbrough can be seen moving aside slightly, leaving room in the doorway for Griswold \u2013 and then Mayberry \u2013 to enter.<\/p>\n

Whitney argued that that was not an invitation by Kimbrough to come inside, but an inability on Kimbrough\u2019s part to physically stand up to Mayberry in that moment.<\/p>\n

Kimbrough was young, traumatized and \u201cdoing the best he could,\u201d Whitney said.<\/p>\n

Whitney described Griswold as an \u201cemotionally needy person\u201d who manipulated Kimbrough and undermined his boundaries by continuing to spend time with Mayberry while in a relationship with Kimbrough.<\/p>\n

Griswold texted Mayberry the night of the incident, in one message reportedly writing, \u201cI love you,\u201d Whitney said.<\/p>\n

When confronted about the messages while on the stand during the earlier days of the trial, Griswold told the defense she \u201cdidn\u2019t know\u201d and \u201ccouldn\u2019t remember\u201d anything about the texts.<\/p>\n

Kimbrough bit his lip and clenched his jaw as the verdict was read Monday, but remained composed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, dad,\u201d he told his father, who attended most of the trial, as he exited the chamber Monday after the verdict.<\/p>\n

In addition to second-degree murder, Kimbrough was found guilty of tampering with a witness and violation of a protection order.<\/p>\n

The 12-person jury spared him a first-degree murder conviction.<\/p>\n

Sentencing is set for Feb. 20.<\/p>\n

epond@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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