A Jefferson County grand jury has indicted 45-year-old Brandon David Mumma in connection with the 2025 death of Jax Gratton, a well-known Denver hairstylist whose disappearance and subsequent discovery in a narrow building gap shook the local LGBTQ+ community.
First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King announced Wednesday that Mumma faces two felony counts: tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence. Mumma, who was allegedly the last person seen with Gratton, was arrested in Summit County on March 11 and is currently held on a $100,000 cash bond.
Timeline of Disappearance and Discovery
Jax Gratton, 34, was last seen leaving her Denver apartment at approximately 10:00 p.m. on April 15, 2025. According to investigative records, Gratton told her roommate she would return within three hours. She never did.
The indictment outlines a precise timeline based on surveillance and witness testimony:
- 10:41 p.m. (April 15): Gratton and Mumma, who were reportedly in a consensual intimate relationship, entered an office space on West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood.
- 12:14 a.m. (April 16): An unidentified male friend joined them.
- 1:43 a.m.: Mumma and the male friend departed, allegedly leaving Gratton “alone and asleep under the influence of drugs.”
- 5:55 a.m.: Surveillance shows Mumma returning to the office alone.
- 6:57 a.m.: Mumma was observed moving his vehicle and discarding trash bags into a dumpster before fleeing the scene.
On June 6, 2025, nearly two months after she vanished, Gratton’s remains were discovered in a confined space between the West Colfax office building and an adjacent structure. She was wearing the same clothes she had on the night of her disappearance.
Forensic Ambiguity and Allegations of Concealment
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office autopsy report highlights the complexities of the case. While Gratton’s body was found with an air conditioning grate resting on her lower torso, the exact cause of death remains undetermined.
“If her body fell from the second-story window of the room where [she was] last reportedly seen alive, autopsy cannot determine whether she was pushed, fell, or jumped from the window while alive, or was dropped from the window after death,” the coroner’s report states.
Prosecutors allege that Mumma did not seek medical assistance but instead moved Gratton’s body and removed her personal belongings to “avoid detection by the police.”
Legal Proceedings and Community Impact
District Attorney King clarified that the male friend present during the early morning hours of April 16 has cooperated fully with law enforcement. He is not believed to have participated in the destruction or removal of evidence and does not face charges.
Gratton was a celebrated figure in Denver’s beauty and LGBTQ+ circles. Following the discovery of her body last summer, hundreds gathered for a memorial to honor her legacy. Friends described her as a “unifying force” who brought together people from all walks of life.
What’s Next: Mumma is scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday, March 17. It remains unclear if he has retained legal counsel.
