Here is a review of an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Aurora on July 5, 2022. A full copy of the findings can be viewed by clicking on the OIS Letter link.
Here is a review of an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Englewood on July 21, 2022. A full copy of the findings can be viewed by clicking on the OIS Letter link.
A jury found Luis Martin Estrada, 22, guilty this month of killing 1 victim and injuring 3 others in a shooting at a hotel in 2021.
On October 2, 2021 at approximately 2:00 a.m., Aurora Police were dispatched to the Hyatt House Hotel on E. Colfax Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found multiple victims with gunshot wounds on the ground level floor of the hotel. Four victims were taken to nearby hospitals. Unfortunately, 1 victim did not survive his injuries.
The investigation revealed Estrada and co-defendant Ruben Mejia-Soto showed up to a party that was taking place in one of the hotel rooms on the sixth floor. Shortly after their arrival, a disturbance occurred and the two were shoved out into the hallway.
While the hotel room door was closed, Estrada fired multiple shots into the door, striking four people. Officers found ten fired shell casings and two live 9mm rounds in the hallway. While hotel surveillance cameras did not show the shots being fired, footage obtained by investigators showed Estrada leaving the hallway where the shooting happened with a gun in his hand just seconds after the shooting. One eyewitness in the hallway was able to identify Estrada as the shooter, and several other witnesses who saw the shooting and were threatened by Estrada as he left the scene described the clothing of the shooter, which matched the cloths Estrada was wearing.
“Instead of walking away, Mr. Estrada decided to fire multiple shots into a crowd of people who were just behind the hotel room door. When you consider the small size of the hotel room, how many people were inside and how many times this Defendant fired into it, it’s a miracle that more of these young people were not killed,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Dawson said. “Angel Ruiz died in that hotel room not knowing the name of the person who fired through the door or even seeing the face of his killer, but the jury did, and they held Mr. Estrada accountable for his extremely violent behavior.”
Estrada was found guilty of the following charges:
Murder 1-Extreme Indifference
Attempted Murder- Extreme Indifference (4x)
Assault 1-Extreme Indifference (2x)
Felony Menacing (3x)
Weapon Possession by a Previous Offender
“This defendant should have never been in possession of a firearm to begin with,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “His selfish actions put every partygoer that night in harm’s way, including the innocent hotel guests staying there. Life in prison is the only appropriate sentence.”
Estrada faces life behind bars. He will be sentenced March 23.
Estrada’s co-defendant, Ruben Mejia-Soto pleaded guilty in May 2022 to Accessory to a Crime for trying to hide the gun in the hotel parking lot and Harassment.
On January 18, Arapahoe County Judge Ryan Stuart sentenced Julio Cesar Gonzalez, 25, to over two decades in the Department of Corrections for a violent attack on a popular park trail in Aurora.
Shortly after 6 a.m. on July 11, 2020, Aurora police officers were dispatched near 1st Avenue and Moline Street on a report that a woman who was exercising had been physically attacked by a man with a board.
Upon arrival, officers found the victim with substantial bodily injuries including wounds to her hands and head. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and survived.
During the investigation, officers located a homeless encampment near the scene where the attacked occurred. At one of the campsites, officers observed a black piece of wood and a black bed headboard which had similar characteristics to the wood discovered at the incident location.
During a search warrant executed at the campsite, officers found a criminal summons belonging to Julio Gonzalez from an unrelated incident. Authorities also learned Gonzalez was being monitored by a GPS ankle bracelet. GPS data revealed Gonzalez was directly at the scene of the crime on the day and time the attack occurred.
“While open spaces are for all to enjoy, we all deserve to feel safe,” the survivor of the July 11, 2020 attack said in court. “I’m always on high alert when I hear something behind me, fearing what could be another attack. No number of apologies could undo or right what happened to me that day.”
The criminal investigation also revealed a similar attack had occurred at approximately the same location three days prior, on July 8, 2020. On that day, a woman was attacked with a piece of wood while riding her bike with her two teenage daughters. The victim sustained injuries to her arm and elbow and was able to identify Mr. Gonzalez as the attacker in a photo line-up, aiding detectives in the investigation for both attacks.
“The evidence left no doubt that Gonzalez was solely responsible for viciously attacking two women who were utilizing the public trail, something they did every day for exercise,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Jason Siers said. “The victims showed enormous strength and courage to survive and we hope this week’s sentence brings them some closure.”
Sentencing information:
Assault 1-Serious Bodily Injury with a Deadly Weapon (Class 3 Felony)
Sentence: 20 years in DOC
Assault 2-Causing Injury with a Deadly Weapon (Class 4 Felony)
Sentence: 5 years in DOC (Consecutive with the Assault 1 sentence)
Menacing with a Real or Simulated Weapon (Class 5 Felony)
Sentence: 3 years (Concurrent to the Assault 1 sentence)
“There’s no justification for the defendant’s actions and we’re extremely fortunate that these injuries weren’t deadly,” Senior Deputy DA Colleen Greer said. “Physical evidence and technology ultimately paved the way toward justice in this case.”
Prior to the assault, Gonzalez was on bond in Arapahoe County for a March 2020 burglary case.
“The defendant’s aggressive and violent behavior showed a complete disregard for human life,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “People in our community deserve to feel safe at our local parks and trails. I hope this lengthy sentence restores some sense of safety and security in our community.”
On January 4, Arapahoe County Judge Elizabeth Weishaupl sentenced Kyree Brown, 20, to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for murdering Joe and Jossline Roland in a botched robbery.
In August 2020, Brown used a false name to post a stolen vehicle for sale on the Letgo app, a sales platform similar to eBay, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
The investigation revealed Joseph Roland corresponded with Brown over the app to buy a used Toyota RAV4 SUV for $3,000. Shortly after 11 p.m. on August 14, 2020, the Rolands met Brown in a shopping center parking lot. After noticing some issues with the title, Brown lured the Rolands to a second location on E. Cornell Circle in Aurora where he claimed the correct paperwork was located.
At the new location, Brown pulled out a gun and demanded the cash the Rolands had brought to purchase the car. During the robbery, Brown shot and killed the couple and fled with their money.
Brown later dumped the stolen car near the area of Havana Street and East Colfax Avenue where he set it on fire.
Investigators were able to solve this case by pulling computer records showing his email address was used to advertise the stolen vehicle online.
“The world lost an amazing couple and some of the best parents that I have ever known over some money and a scam,” Sammy Jo Boumadi-Heckerman, Jossline’s sister said. “A person that clearly didn’t care about what is right or what is wrong didn’t just steal money, he stole our family.”
The Rolands leave behind five children who were 17, 12, 10, 8 and 4 at the time of the murders.
“My parents were and always will be the two most giving, compassionate, helpful, kind and selfless people I’ve ever met,” Madison Roland, the couple’s oldest daughter said. “We will never get to experience anything as a family ever again.”
In addition to the two murders, Brown was convicted of aggravated robbery, aggravated motor vehicle theft, arson and bait advertising.
“This defendant’s greed left five children in an unimaginable position of having to grow up without their parents,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Garrik Storgaard said. “He deserves to spend every second of every year behind bars for what he did to Joe and Jossline Roland.”
Colorado law requires a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for Murder 1- a Class 1 felony.
“While no sentence will bring back these two loving parents, this life sentence ensures that the defendant will never have the ability to hurt another innocent person or family,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Jake Adkins said. “I hope the Roland family can find some peace and closure now that justice has been served.”
The investigation found that after Brown murdered the Rolands and set fire to the stolen car, he posted selfies with the money he stole from them. He also re-listed the advertisement for the same car he used to lure the Rolands.
“This couple didn’t deserve to die over a car and my heart aches for the children who have to grow up without both of their parents,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “This defendant robbed these children of a normal childhood and life in prison is the only appropriate sentence for this senseless crime.”
On December 9, a jury convicted Floyd David Slusher, 69, of sexually exploiting children.
Slusher, a convicted child molester and former boy scout troop leader, was arrested earlier this year after an investigation conducted by members of the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force discovered he was posting and downloading child pornography.
Investigators were able to retrieve an IP address location where the pornographic materials were downloaded. The location took authorities to a home where Slusher, a registered sex offender was currently living. During a search warrant, Aurora police located Slusher’s computer and found multiple videos and movies showing young children performing sex acts on adults.
Slusher’s criminal history involving children dates back several decades. Between 1970-1972, Slusher was a Boy Scout member in Wiesbaden, Germany. During his time at this camp, Slusher was caught having sexual relations with juvenile males. Boy Scouts of America then sent Slusher back to the United States.
While living in Boulder, Slusher became a Boy Scout Troop Leader and started molesting more young boys. Slusher was convicted of these assaults and faced life behind bars. The Colorado Department of Corrections ultimately allowed him out on parole and in 1990, Slusher sexually assaulted another male juvenile and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He was also convicted of additional felonies for attempting to escape from custody and he was sentenced to an additional 8 years in prison.
In October 2020, Slusher was granted discretionary parole and he was placed on the Colorado sex offender registry. He was arrested in February 2022 on child pornography charges.
“This defendant has a history of sexually abusing children dating back more than 45 years, and it is deeply concerning that he was able to engage in this type of behavior while on parole for a similar offense,” Deputy District Attorney Jacob Kremin said. “Every time child sexual abuse material is viewed or distributed, the children depicted in those materials are re-victimized. There is simply no place for this conduct in our community, and our Office will continue to pursue convictions against those perpetuating the cycle of abuse against children.”
Slusher was convicted on the following charges:
Sexual Exploitation of a Child-Possession w/Intent to Distribute (Class 3 Felony)
Sexual Exploitation of a Child-Video Possession (Class 4 Felony)
Slusher also faces two sentence enhancers related to being a habitual sex offender. That trial is set to take place on March 20.
If the habitual sex offender sentence enhancers are proven, Slusher will face a mandatory minimum 36-year sentence.
“This defendant should have never been released from prison to victimize more children,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “Looking at his history, it’s shocking and disturbing that he was released from prison early – again. Once again, Colorado’s broken parole system favors dangerous criminals over public safety.”
Peter Le, 29, was sentenced on Dec. 9 to 23 years in the Department of Corrections for shooting a man inside the Bowlero bowling alley in Lone Tree.
In March 2018, police officers in Lone Tree were dispatched to a shooting call at the venue. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The victim was taken to Sky Ridge Medical Center for treatment and survived his injuries. Video surveillance from the bowling alley helped investigators identify Le who was see on camera leaving the Bowlero holding a handgun.
The victim told investigators that prior to being shot, he returned his bowling shoes at the checkout counter and accidentally bumped into Le. That’s when the victim says Le pulled out a gun and shot him. As one of the victim’s friends attempted to stop Le from leaving, Le pointed the gun at the victim’s friend before taking off. No additional shots were fired.
“We are happy that the victims can both finally find some peace following this sentencing,” Deputy District Attorney Keegan Doheney said. “The amazing members of our local law enforcement teams including the Lone Tree Police Department made this result possible. Their around the clock work on this case is what lead to a great result.”
Le was sentenced to 20 years in prison for Assault 1- Causing Serious Bodily Injury with a Weapon and an additional 3 years for Felony Menacing.
“The defendant took what most would consider to be a slight, accidental interaction and turned it into a terrifying, tragic, and life-alerting event for everyone present at the bowling alley that night,” Deputy District Attorney Corrie Caler said. “Both the victim who was shot and the victim who was menaced displayed strength, resilience and empathy throughout the course of this case. It is because of their strength and determination that we were able to obtain justice in this case.”
Upon release, Le will be placed on mandatory parole for 5 years and he will have to pay restitution.
“There is absolutely no justification for Mr. Le’s actions that night,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “I hope this sentence sends a strong message that gun violence will not be tolerated. We’re fortunate that no lives were lost in this senseless act of violence.”
Here is a review of an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Arapahoe County on March 3, 2022. A full copy of the findings can be viewed by clicking on the OIS Letter link.
The prosecutors who brought justice for the family of Sylvia Quayle four decades following her murder in Cherry Hills Village were selected by the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council (CDAC) as the 2022 Outstanding Trial Team of the Year.
This prestigious award recognizes one team of prosecutors each year for exceptional work in solving challenging cases from the thousands of cases brought to trial over the course of the year. This year, the award honors a dedicated team from our Office who aggressively worked to solve this case and bring Quayle’s killer to justice.
The trial team members include Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Gallo and Deputy District Attorney Grant Grosgebauer, Matt Hanagan, Investigator, Cathy Nevill, Paralegal and Colleen Vogel, Victim Advocate.
“I’m proud that Colorado’s prosecution community recognized the incredible work of this team,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “This case is a shining example of the fact that, no matter how many years have passed, we will never stop pursuing justice for victims and bringing closure to families.”
Prosecutors Christopher Gallo and Grant Grosgebauer noted the tremendous importance of a strong team.
“We get to stand up in court and make the closing argument, but a case like this is built from the ground up, with great investigative work from our partners at the Cherry Hills Village Police Department, along with DA Investigator Matthew Hanagan, who was critical in gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses,” they said. “This isn’t an award that belongs to one or two people. Without the countless hours of dedication from our spectacular victim advocate, Colleen Vogel, and our amazing Cold Case Paralegal, Cathy Nevill, this case would not have made it into a courtroom. We’re so glad that they are receiving the recognition they so richly deserve.”
Background on this Case:
On August 4, 1981, Sylvia Quayle’s body was found by her father, William, in the early morning hours. Sylvia lived alone at her home in Cherry Hills Village and became the victim of a brutal attack the night before. The attacker had cut the phone line outside her house so she couldn’t call for help. The investigation revealed Sylvia had been sexually assaulted, strangled, stabbed three times and was shot in the head and left to bleed to death on the floor of her living room.
Sylvia’s murder went unsolved for nearly four decades. In 2000, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a DNA sample to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, also known as CODIS. The DNA sample remained unidentified for two decades until advances in DNA linked Anderson to the crime.
In 2020, the Cherry Hills Village Police Department began working with a genetic genealogy company named United Data Connect. The company provided the police department with a possible lead after samples from the decades-old cold case were entered into two public DNA databases.
In 2021, an investigator with United Data Connect went to Anderson’s residence to discretely obtain a new DNA sample. That investigator collected trash bags from an apartment complex dumpster where Anderson resided. Lab results found DNA on a soda can from Anderson’s trash bag matched DNA collected from the crime scene.
Anderson was charged with two counts of first-degree murder (After Deliberation and Felony Murder) and initially went to trial in March 2022. After five days, jurors were unable to reach a verdict and a judge declared a mistrial.
The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office took the case to trial again and on June 30, 2022, a jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts of murder. However, legal precedent only allows a defendant convicted of a single homicide to be sentenced on one homicide charge.
Based on the sentencing laws in effect at the time of the crime, Anderson received the maximum sentence—life behind bars with the possibility of parole after 20 calendar years.
Front Row (L to R): Cathy Nevill and Colleen Vogel
Back Row (L to R): Grant Grosgebauer, Matt Hanagan and Christopher Gallo
Today, an Arapahoe County jury convicted Marcus Johnson, 34, of second-degree murder for shooting former University of Colorado (CU) football player Anthony “TJ” Cunningham to death.
On February 17, 2019, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a passerby about a man bleeding in a parking lot at Eaglecrest High School. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Cunningham had been shot. He was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and passed away the following day.
At the time deputies were responding to the scene at Eaglecrest High School, dispatchers received another call from Marcus Johnson. He stated he just shot Cunningham, who he claimed attacked him earlier in the day. Further investigation revealed Johnson and Cunningham were neighbors and the two had an ongoing dispute over a parking spot on a public street between their houses.
Prior to the shooting, the two taunted each other in the street before eventually agreeing to resolve the parking dispute in a parking lot at Eaglecrest High School. At the meeting location, Cunningham was shot twice in the head and chest.
“This defendant arranged a fight and showed up to the Eaglecrest High School parking lot with a gun,” Chief Deputy DA Andrew Steers said. “This was not a case of self-defense. Johnson made the choice to end a petty dispute with violence.”
Around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, a jury returned a guilty second-degree murder verdict. Johnson will remain in custody until sentencing.
“A life was taken over a minor neighborhood parking issue,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “This defendant tried to portray himself as a victim, but there’s no way to justify why a man had to lose his life over a parking spot disagreement.”
Johnson was sentenced Dec. 2 to 45 years in prison.
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