Whitler Receives Life + 48 Years for Killing CO Process Server

James Whitler knew before his sentencing hearing Monday he'd be spending the rest of his life in prison for murdering Stephen Allen, but Judge Dan Kaup made sure the Loveland father's violent actions toward his children also carried significance through punishment.

The judge sentenced Whitler to an additional 48 years in prison to be served consecutively to the murder sentence for trying to strangle his children to death May 28, 2008.

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Man Who Killed Process Server Testifies

Jurors in James Whitler's murder trial saw a video recording Tuesday of Whitler telling authorities he began beating Stephen Allen, the man he's accused of murdering, after he came to view the process server as the object of his marriage's lost hope.

Whitler also told investigators he was praying to God to take care of his two children while he strangled them after beating Allen.

If sheriff's deputies hadn't stopped him, he said he probably would have killed his children and then himself.

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Suspect Charged in Process Server Murder

A judge on Friday declined the request of the attorney for a Loveland man accused of first-degree murder to reduce the charges against him.

James Whitler, 45, has been charged in the beating death of Stephen Allen, a 57-year-old process server, the evening of May 28 at Whitler’s residence west of Loveland. Whitler is also charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder for allegedly choking his children, 12-year-old Amanda and 10-year-old Jacob, when sheriff’s deputies apprehended him at his home.

Friday, 8th Judicial District Judge Daniel Kaup decided enough evidence existed to carry all charges against Whitler to a possible trial after listening to testimony from one of the investigators in the case.

Attorneys for both sides agreed Whitler hit Allen multiple times with a T-ball bat and choked the children, but prosecutors and defense attorneys differed on what Whitler’s mind-set was during the attacks.

Allen was serving Whitler with divorce papers and a restraining order taken out by Whitler’s estranged wife, Lisa Whitler, when he was attacked by Whitler — who hit Allen between 15 and 20 times, Larimer County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Feyen testified.

ServeNow.com Advertiser Featured on Denver's 9News

ServeNow.com advertiser Trina Danley, of Danley Investigations, Inc. was interviewed regarding the death of another process server Stephen Allen, who was killed.

Danley says that although the incident was rare, there is a dangerous part to every job.