Violence Against Servers is Uncommon

Being the bearer of bad news isn’t a popular job.

But rarely does it end in any sort of violence or even murder, as it did for 57-year-old Stephen Allen, the process server whom James Scott Whitler allegedly beat and stabbed Wednesday at Whit-ler’s home west of Loveland.

Steve Carlyle — owner of Front Range Legal Process, which operates out of Fort Collins and Denver — has never heard of such hostility toward a process server.

Process Servers Take a Chance With Each Case

Process servers who do the same job that cost Stephen Allen his life say that although the incident was rare, they are taking a risk with every knock on the door.

"I'd say with 80 percent of the serves that are done, obviously the people aren't happy, but they accept it and aren't aggressive. Then you get 19 percent that aren't happy and give you (expletives)," said Steve Carlyle, owner of Front Range Legal Process Service LLC.

Steve Wennstedt, owner of Source Investigations LLC in Fort Collins, said he has dealt with a little push here and there, but nothing serious.