Does The Postal Service Run On Christmas Eve

LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4)– Jason Schaefer has been identified as the USPS postal worker who was shot and killed on Wednesday in Longmont. Police arrested the victim's 26-year-old ex-girlfriend, Devan Schreiner, of Fort Collins, on charges of first-degree murder.

Jason Schaefer (credit: USPS)

Thursday the United States Postal Service of Colorado had a procession in his honor with 47 postal trucks driving one-by-one on the same route Schaefer drove Wednesday morning.

Throughout the day on Thursday, several neighbors in the Somerset Meadows community dropped off flowers and posters near where Schaefer was murdered.

Neighbors told CBS4 things like this don't happen in the area.

"You wouldn't expect like your mailman would be hurt, or something would happen to him," Mia Vanleeuwen, a neighbor who dropped off flowers. "This is a pretty nice neighborhood I'd say, so it's just weird that it was right there… in broad daylight, too."

(credit: USPS)

Schaefer was maybe someone they didn't know by his full name, but neighbors knew his smile. Tom Lawson, the president of the HOA, says Schaefer was so friendly that sometimes he'd go out of his way to help some of his residents.

"He would come here right round 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock, he'd be here for 20 minutes starting all these boxes with all the mail. He was always friendly," said Lawson. "He hand delivered mail to some of the houses, because they weren't capable of getting to the mailbox, so we are very devastated."

On Thursday, detectives went out to the Longmont neighborhood to gather additional evidence.

"He was just a young dude, who seemed to be living a pretty normal life," said Natalie Fontenot, another neighbor.

The Somerset Meadows community is hoping Schaefer's kindness extends beyond this neighborhood.

"It's just such an unfortunate situation, and fate to have succumbed to," said Fontenot. "Just I guess like be compassionate cause you don't know what people are going through."

A spokesperson with the City of Longmont told CBS4 they're working with the Schaefer family and the postal service to set up a memorial. They say cards are appreciated and those can be sent to the Longmont post office.

Police believe Schreiner approached Schaefer while he was at a group of neighborhood mailboxes on Heatherhill Street by Renaissance Drive, shot him several times and then ran off. Schaefer died at the scene.

Devan Schreiner

Devan Schreiner (credit: Boulder County)

The FBI and the United States Postal Service joined Longmont police in the search for the suspect, which came to an end overnight. Schreiner remains in custody at the Boulder County Jail.

(credit: CBS)

Schreiner was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday afternoon but the hearing was vacated. She's now not scheduled to make an appearance in Boulder County Court until Tuesday. She does not appear to have a previous criminal history.

Marissa Armas

Marissa Armas is a bilingual reporter who specializes in covering race, culture and immigration. She joined the CBS4 team in 2021. More from Marissa Armas