Gunnison Police Officer Daniel Huff, 41, died by suicide in Mesa County on the morning of Sept. 28, according to the Mesa County Coroner’s Office. Days prior, he had been arrested and detained following charges of sexual assault and incest issued by the 7th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, a warrant was issued for Huff’s arrest and he was later taken to the Gunnison County Detention Center. That Friday, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Waggoner filed two charges against Huff, one count of sexual assault and one count of incest — both Class 4 felonies.
The Gunnison Police Department hired Huff in September of 2021 as a patrol officer, with 10 years of prior law enforcement experience. The city placed Huff on administrative leave on Sept. 25, once it was informed of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) inquiry into Huff and the felony charges, City Manager Amanda Wilson wrote in a statement to the Times.
Following his arrest, Huff was initially held without bond until a hearing on Sept. 27. In Colorado, individuals who have been arrested can only be held without bond until they appear before a judge. At a hearing on Sept. 27, Gunnison County Judge Ashley Burgemeister set his bond at $20,000. Huff posted bond later that day, just before 5 p.m., and was released from the detention center.
The next morning, Huff was found deceased near Loma, 20 miles northwest of Grand Junction. The coroner’s office declined to provide further comment on the circumstances surrounding his death.
The charges stemmed from CBI’s three-week investigation into Huff. On Sept. 8, CBI received a phone tip regarding possible abuse by Huff, according to the arrest affidavit. CBI agents then informed the Gunnison District Attorney’s Office, and began an investigation. Colorado police departments cannot investigate their own officers to avoid conflicts of interest, so those cases are typically referred to CBI, said Communications Director Rob Low.
Over the course of three weeks, investigators interviewed people who knew Huff regarding the alleged incidents. The Times requested CBI’s report on Huff, but did not receive it by press time. (Editor’s note: The Times is withholding further detail from the arrest affidavit as Huff was not convicted, and to protect the families’ privacy).
The Gunnison Police Department wasn't notified that Huff was under suspicion at any point during the three-week investigation, Low said. It is standard CBI practice not to notify an agency that one of its officers is under investigation until investigators have established probable cause — in this case, on Sept. 25. The same standard applies for the state’s POST notification database, maintained by the Attorney General’s Office to track officers and deputies credibly accused of misconduct or who may have been terminated.
“Our current focus is with the victim and Huff’s entire family,” GPD Captain Chris Wilson wrote in a Sept. 30 press release. “This situation has been extremely difficult on them, our community and our entire department.”
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is overseeing the investigation and should be contacted for further details regarding the case. Memorial services have not been confirmed.
(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@gunnisontimes.com.)
People in crisis have the following resources:
Call the Colorado Crisis Services Hotline at 1.844.493.8255 or text TALK to 38255. Trained professionals provide free, immediate and confidential help 24/7, 365 days a year.
Crested Butte Youth Wellness offers four free counseling sessions for kids between grades 6-12.
CB State of Mind provides 10 free sessions with a local therapist.
Gunnison Valley Health peer support specialists can be reached at behavioralhealth@gvh-colorado.org or call 970.648.7128.
