A Colorado Springs man has been sentenced to 42 years in prison for shooting and killing a man in the parking lot of a Centennial business.
Nicholas Locascio
Arapahoe District Court Judge Andrew Baum on Feb. 15 sentenced Nicholas Lee Locascio, 30, in the March 22 death of Justin Doe. Locascio pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October 2018. The top range of the plea agreement was 42 years, so Locascio received the maximum sentence.
“A completely random act of homicidal violence and an innocent life is stolen from our community,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “We have no answers for such an unpredictable act of evil. But there can be justice. Sending the man who did this to prison for a very long time is the right outcome. This is another reason why we build prisons.”
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to QED, a business at 7000 S. Jordan Road about 10:45 on March 22 to investigate a reported shooting.
Doe was found outside on the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner later determined he died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators spoke to eyewitnesses and found evidence that led them to Locascio as a suspect. He was arrested later that day near a fitness club in Aurora. Locascio tried to hide methamphetamine from the arresting officers.
Investigators found no prior connection between Locascio and Doe.
“After senselessly executing an innocent man, the defendant attempted to evade responsibility by fleeing the scene,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Oldham, who prosecuted the case with Senior Deputy District Attorney Garrick Storgaard. “Through the swift response of law enforcement he was arrested and brought to justice with a sentence to 42 years in prison.”
Doe’s mother was glad the judge imposed the maximum sentence possible under the plea agreement.
“The sentence cannot bring Justin back, but at least the defendant is behind bars and cannot harm anyone else,” she said.