A tragic night of reckless behavior led to the murder conviction of Joseph Koenig, who was found guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Alexa Bartell after he and two friends threw rocks at passing cars, one of which fatally struck Bartell. The conviction was secured after Koenig's co-defendants, Zachary Kwak and Nicholas Karol-Chik, who took plea deals, testified against him, asserting that Koenig threw the rock. Despite Koenig's defense claiming he lacked intent and had borderline personality disorder, the prosecution argued that the evidence supported his role as the perpetrator and conspirator. The trial highlighted conflicting testimonies, with Karol-Chik initially blaming Kwak before shifting blame to Koenig, while Kwak claimed he did not throw any rocks. Bartell's mother expressed mixed feelings about the verdict, acknowledging the loss of multiple young lives due to the incident while recognizing that justice was served for her daughter's death.

Joseph Koenig was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Alexa Bartell, who was killed when a rock thrown by Koenig and his friends crashed through her car windshield. The incident occurred on April 19, 2023, during a night when the trio was recklessly targeting vehicles with rocks.

Koenig's conviction was supported by testimonies from his co-defendants, Zachary Kwak and Nicholas Karol-Chik, who reached plea agreements with prosecutors and testified that Koenig threw the fatal rock. Their testimonies were crucial as the only DNA on the rock was Bartell’s, and the defense argued Kwak was responsible.

The defense team claimed Koenig, who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, did not intend to kill Bartell and argued for a lesser charge of manslaughter, but the prosecution maintained that Koenig's actions and behavior during the event demonstrated intent and culpability as a conspirator.

Both Kwak and Karol-Chik entered plea deals for lesser charges, with Kwak pleading guilty to first-degree assault, among others, and facing up to 32 years in prison, while Karol-Chik pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges, facing potentially up to 72 years in prison.

The incident left Bartell's family devastated, with her mother expressing sorrow not only for her daughter's death but also for the impact on the lives of the three young men involved, highlighting the broader tragedy of the situation.