The Tragic Double Life and Murder of Paige Birgfeld

 To those who knew Paige Birgfeld as a dedicated single mother of three in Grand Junction, Colorado, revelations after she vanished in 2007 of her secret life as an escort shocked all who thought they knew her. Yet the 34-year-old remained an enigma even in death when her remains were finally discovered in 2012, the questions around her grisly murder only beginning.

Described as a loving mother who relished family gatherings by grief-stricken parents, Paige also harbored turmoil from two failed marriages, the second with volatile disputes and assault charges filed. After that 2006 divorce when the double life emerged operating an escort service Models Inc as “Carrie”, Paige spiraled into risky territory meeting anonymous clients. Her bright red Ford Focus erupted in flames shortly after her June 2007 disappearance, personal items strewn about becoming a haunting scene when her frightened 8 year-old daughter Jess reported her missing.

As local authorities investigated shady business records further, they soon eye one man - 65 year-old Lester Jones - using hard to trace burner phones Paige had contacted. After building evidence implicating Jones over years, he was convicted in 2016 of murdering Paige and discarding her battered remains discovered bound in tape down a rural canyon. Dark details of Jones’ abusive past toward women reinforced suspicions Paige encountered the sinister fate at his hands that belied her loving motherly public image.

The tragic murder of Paige Birgfeld stands as a cautionary tale of the unchecked demons that can lead someone living a double life rapidly down a dangerous path. While justice ultimately came, the heartbreak remained by those close to Paige who knew but one side of a woman who perhaps longed to reclaim the hopeful futures her complex past tragically stole away.