Those Left Behind: Family members vow to be voice for woman killed in domestic violence incident
Tricia Green was murdered by her husband Galen Westfall in November, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.
In 2021, three women were murdered in Arapahoe County by their current or former husbands. All three women were the victims of domestic violence and so are their families. the Arapahoe County Sherriff’s Office (ACSO) said.
One of the women, 46-year-old Tricia Sue Green-Westfall, was a mother of two, a daughter, and a twin. According to the sheriff's office, she was murdered on Nov. 15, 2021 by her husband of 12 years, 57-year-old Galen Westfall.
Signs of abuse 'He was a good guy until he wasn't'
“Nobody ever thinks they are going to lose their loved one to murder, to domestic violence. I certainly never thought I was going to lose my twin sister,” said Terri Pettit, who is Tricia’s fraternal twin sister.
The Douglas County family never thought domestic violence would change their lives forever.
“To be left behind, it’s tough. It’s impossible to still imagine and moving forward it will eventually become more normal,” said CJ Briggs, Tricia’s oldest son.
CJ and his younger brother Noah Briggs are now navigating life without their mother. Neither expected their stepfather to take her life, but that's what investigators said happened.
“I had a good relationship with Galen. Living there in the house with them, I never had too many issues,” CJ said.
It was a different story with his younger brother Noah.
“I never liked Galen that much," he said. "We had problems a lot through their marriage, and I never really liked him."
Tricia married Galen in 2009 after going through a divorce. Her sister Terri described Galen as "the golden boy, born and raised in Castle Rock."
When they first got married 12 years ago, the family said they didn't notice anything. But over the years, they said, issues became more apparent.
“He was controlling, manipulative. And nobody seen [sic] it from the outside," said Terri. "We as a family, it was clear. He was a good guy until he wasn’t.”
Tricia was a newly divorced mother of two boys and Terri said her sister married Galen, who was a businessman, for financial comfort.
>Video below: extended interviews with Tricia Green's sons
The couple lived in a home in Castle Rock, with Tricia’s two boys and Galen’s daughter. The boys said there were nights where Tricia and Galen fought like normal couples. Noah remembers many arguments when they thought he was asleep.
“I kind of do realize that he was controlling. And I never knew that. As a young kid you never really do pay attention to things like that,” Noah said.
It never got violent, so it never caught his attention. But Terri noticed that things took a turn after the couple returned from Mexico in November last year She recalled a curious incident early on Nov. 7.
“That Sunday morning he removes the cameras from the home. He takes them all down," said Terri. "And you can see him look back to make sure she’s not coming down the stairs. It was very, very eerie to see.”
About a week later, on Nov. 13, Terri and Tricia went Christmas shopping.
“We went shopping and she sees this gnome and her eyes get this big. And she’s like -gasp, all excited. I said do you want that for Christmas, she’s like yes. I said you have to forget that I bought it. She’s like bought what,” Terri said.
Terri did not that would be would be their final moment together as sisters.
“She was walking out getting in the truck. And I said I love you and she turned and looked at me as she was closing the door and she said I love you too. And that was the last time I seen [sic] her. Last words. The last I love you,” she said.
>Extended interview with Tricia Green's twin sister.
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The crash 'There was no indication of any brake being applied'
On Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, Galen dropped Tricia off at work at the Arapahoe County Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The family said he told her she needed her car serviced. It seemed random, but Terri said her sister liked to make things easy and went with the flow.
“He [Galen] took her car went and had it serviced. We know he went to the bank and made a financial transfer. We know that he sent a text message to his daughter that stated he had found out some things and for her not to come home after 4 o’clock cause he and Tricia were going to get into it,” Terri said.
A co-worker told Terri, Tricia got a phone call not long before her shift was ending.
"The coworker heard 'why 3:30'. And she [Tricia] was like OK, I’ll be ready," Terri said.
At 3:30 p.m., Tricia walked out of the DMV and got in Galen’s truck.
“I believe an argument ensued as soon as she got in the truck,” Terri said.
At 3:35 p.m., 911 calls started pouring in about a crash at East Geddes Avenue and South Havana Street, just blocks away from where Tricia worked.
“Galen had the accelerator floored all the way to the ground at 99% depression. There was no indication of any brake being applied when it struck that first vehicle when his vehicle left the roadway,” said ACSO Investigator Bud Gillespie.
Body camera video obtained by 9NEWS shows the responding deputies had no idea what initially took place.
“We had this big parking lot. My immediate observation was a trail of debris with a very damaged white pick-up truck up against a tree. And then further east I’m seeing what was later determined to be Galen's truck covered with white sheets,” Gillespie said.
The autopsy report from the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office reveals Galen shot Tricia in the face and in the arm. He shot himself once in the head, the report says.
Family members didn't learn of the deaths until hours later.
“Sixteen hours later. And I didn’t believe it. I stood right here, and I kept shaking my head. And until he described the truck I didn’t believe him,” Terri said.
Still left in disbelief, Terri and her husband Scott said they knew they had to tell their nephews the truth.
“It was my uncle who was the one that told me because he was the only one that was really able to speak. He said that your mom and Galen are dead. They were found in his truck shot and that’s all that we had known at the time,” CJ said.
He said it initially never crossed his mind that Galen could have been involved with what happened.
“My first thought was holy crap they were both murdered, murdered by somebody,” he said.
His brother Noah thought the same.
“I automatically thought it was a robbery too or something similar to that," Noah said. "He’s the one that taught me how to be safe with guns, so I never expected this.”
The two brothers are now living life without their mother after learning their trust was broken by someone, they thought cared for them.
“Back 12 years ago he asked me for permission to marry my mom and I gave it to him. So sometimes I look back at that and I’m like maybe it wasn’t the greatest idea,” CJ said.
According to ACSO investigators, Galen planned Tricia’s murder.
“Galen's reasoning for murdering Tricia, she was having an affair as best as I can determine that. Yes, that affair actually occurred but that’s not a reason to murder your wife. So, it’s troubling, it’s just sort of like, I can’t even describe it. It’s like why,” Gillespie said.
Gillespie said he spoke to the other person involved and learned the two were having an emotional affair, and there was nothing beyond texting and phone conversations.
>Video below: Extended interview with Arapahoe County Sheriff's Investigator Bud Gillespie
'I will be her voice' Forever Pretty in Pink, The Tricia Green Foundation
“One day we’re going to be able to smile and laugh and tell the stories. And one day some will be without tears. And some will be with tears, but it will be tears of joy instead of pain,” Terri said.
It’s even tougher for her family to know Tricia's life was taken when there were other options.
“It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through in my life. And it is weird that she’s gone. Sometimes I do think that she’s still here and I can still text her. But I know I can t and that’s the hardest part. She was liked by so many people and now she’s gone for something so pointless,” Noah said.
This family is hoping to break the silence by helping other victims through Forever Pretty In Pink, The Tricia Green Foundation.
“I will be her voice until the day I leave this Earth. And I will help other women that are in her situation. And we’re going to fight this, we’re going to fight domestic violence,” Terri said.
A family still numb to tragedy and still counting the days since their loved one was taken.
“Mom loved us. She cared for us buddy and that doesn’t change now. And we’ll get through this and time will fix this slowly. But for now, it’s alright for us to be sad and upset because this is something we’ll never fully get used to. I love you, buddy,” CJ said to his brother Noah.
In a statement, the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder’s office, where Tricia worked, said they also hoped to raise awareness about domestic violence issues.
"Tricia Westfall was a veteran employee of more than nine years with Arapahoe County and was well-loved by her colleagues. Her death was heartbreaking, and our employees are still grieving and processing her loss.
Since this incident, the County has provided grief counseling for employees, and we continue to offer them mental health resources. We also have prioritized raising awareness among our employees and our residents of the many harmful effects of domestic violence, in the hope of preventing similar tragedies in the future."
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