Early on Halloween morning 2019, Colby Trickle contacted emergency services claiming his 26-year-old wife, Kristen Trickle, had shot herself in their residence in Hays, Kansas. Upon arrival, Sergeant Brandon Hauptman from the Hays Police Department took charge of the situation. Following a conversation with Colby Trickle and an initial assessment of the scene, Hauptman harbored suspicions regarding the circumstances surrounding Kristen Trickle's death. Despite this, three days later, the coroner, Dr. Lyle Noordhoek, officially declared Kristen Trickle's passing as a suicide. Colby Trickle was subsequently released from custody, yet the investigative efforts persisted.
Colby Trickle, an individual serving in the Army Reserve, capitalized on two life insurance policies belonging to his late wife, amounting to over $120,000. Investigators uncovered that he allocated almost $2,000 of the insurance funds towards the acquisition of a life-size sex doll a mere 48 hours subsequent to the insurance payout.
Detective Joshua "JB" Burkholder tells "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty, "There's a mourning process that I think everyone needs to go through — should go through when a loved one dies — and to have him ordering this type of doll just months after his wife's death was concerning." The investigation into Colby Trickle's spending is part of this week's all-new broadcast, "Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind," airing Saturday, April 27, at 10/9c on CBS and streaming on Paramount +.
When Kristen Trickle's 's aunt, Delynn Rice, heard about the doll, she told Moriarty, "I was just appalled that he would use Kristen's life insurance money for a sex doll. It just was like he bought a replacement of her with her money."
Assistant Ellis County Attorney, Aaron Cunningham told "48 Hours" that Colby Trickle spent all $120,000 of the insurance money in about eight months. In addition to buying the life-size sex doll, he also spent thousands of dollars on video games, paying off debts, and buying music equipment in hopes of becoming a performer.
Police became suspicious when Kristen Trickle's phone alarm kept ringing at the scene of her death. Detective Burkholder recalled turning it off. He noted that she had set the alarm for work and had plans for the day, which is uncommon for individuals contemplating suicide. He mentioned, "A lot of times, individuals who are thinking about suicide and do commit suicide — they don't have any plans for the day. They're not setting alarms. It doesn't matter when they get up."
Colby Trickle cooperated with investigators without a lawyer present multiple times. He shared elaborate stories about military intelligence work and tours in the Middle East and Central America. However, military inquiries revealed that Colby Trickle had never been deployed overseas. Investigators found his lies, coupled with inconsistencies at the scene, raised suspicions about his recount of Kristen Trickle's death.
After 21 months, on July 14, 2021, Colby Trickle was charged with first-degree murder and interfering with law enforcement in connection to Kristen Trickle's death. During his trial in September 2023, prosecutors mentioned Colby Trickle's purchase of a sex doll. His mother, Tina Kreutzer, testified in his defense. She explained that Colby Trickle had been experiencing nightmares and difficulty sleeping after his wife's passing, and the doll was for warmth and comfort, not for sexual purposes.
Upon hearing the testimony of Colby Trickle's mother, Kristen Trickle's uncle, Brant Rice, expressed his disgust to "48 Hours." He stated, "Just disgusted." In response to the claim of needing the doll for warmth and comfort, he remarked, "We have electric blankets we use for that."
Subsequently, jurors were presented with the findings of Dr. Ashley Christiansen, a psychologist hired by the prosecution to conduct a psychological analysis of Kristen Trickle. Christiansen's assessment indicated that Kristen Trickle was unlikely to have committed suicide.
Following the trial, Colby Trickle was found guilty. In November 2023, more than four years after Kristen Trickle's passing, he was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 50 years.
