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18th Judicial District

Colorado District Attorneys’ Council honors trial team for solving 1981 cold case homicide

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

Aurora man convicted of attempted murder facing new charges after attacking victim during trial

On August 29, a jury found Daniel Ayala, 29, guilty of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

In June 2021, Aurora police responded to a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian near E. Kent Drive and E. Loyola Place. Upon arrival, officers found a 30-year-old man with injuries to his lower body.

The victim stated that as he was walking his dog, a white Chevrolet Avalanche accelerated toward him, striking him with the hood of the vehicle. The victim was taken by ambulance to Aurora South in critical condition.

During the investigation, the victim identified the driver as Ayala, a prior acquaintance. When questioned by police, Ayala admitted hitting the victim with his car on purpose.

Ayala was charged with Attempted Murder, Assault with a Deadly Weapon Causing Serious Bodily Injury, and two sentence enhancers for committing a violent crime with a weapon.

A jury convicted Ayala on all four charges following a 3-day trial.

“This defendant tried to kill the victim by running him over with his truck,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrew Steers said. “To make matters worse, this defendant then physically attacked the victim on the stand. The verdict is appropriate.”

As the victim was testifying during trial, Ayala, who was free on bond, jumped up from behind the defense table and repeatedly struck the victim in the face and body. Multiple individuals in the courtroom, including Deputy District Attorneys Chandler Neumann and Kate Tierney intervened and detained Ayala. Both the victim and Neumann sustained minor injuries.

“Attacking a victim while he is testifying is an insult to our justice system and something no witness should ever have to fear,” Deputy DA Chandler Neumann said. “The victim showed tremendous bravery throughout the trial and this verdict will finally provide the victim with some closure.”

Ayala’s bond has since been revoked and he will be sentenced in this case on October 28.

He also faces the following new charges as a result of the alleged courtroom assault:

Retaliation against a Witness/Victim (Class 3 Felony)

Third Degree Assault (M1)

Violation of a Protection Order (M1)

“Violence in our courtroom will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “I believe the actions of our Deputy DAs and multiple citizens in that courtroom saved the victim from sustaining serious injuries. This was a righteous verdict.”

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Chandler Neumann and Kate Tierney.

Aurora man sentenced to 60 years for killing girlfriend in apartment

Arapahoe County Judge Elizabeth Ann Weishaupl sentenced Dakota Chinnock, 21, to 60 years in the Department of Corrections for killing his 20-year-old girlfriend last year.

On the morning of September 5, 2021, Chinnock called police to report that he found his girlfriend unconscious and not breathing in their Aurora apartment.

When officers arrived, they discovered the victim, Amanda Farley, 20, lying face up on a bedroom floor with severe swelling to her face. One officer described her face as being “unrecognizable”. The investigation also revealed multiple human bite marks on Farley’s body.

When questioned by police, Chinnock suggested her death may have resulted from a home invasion. He claimed he had been drinking earlier in the night and when he woke up, the apartment was in disarray and Farley was in a pool of blood.

Investigators noted there was no smell of alcohol on Chinnock and there appeared to be no forced entry into the apartment unit. Hours prior to Chinnock calling police, witnesses living in the complex reported hearing yelling and a female crying from the apartment.

Surveillance video obtained by police also provided key evidence showing Chinnock and Farley arguing outside their apartment. Chinnock is seen grabbing an object resembling a propane tank and hitting Farley in the head with it. Surveillance footage then shows both going into the apartment and out of the camera’s view.

“The defendant brutally attacked this woman he supposedly loved for hours,” Deputy District Attorney Lisa Gramer said. “He ended the life of his high school sweetheart, whose only real mistake was that she loved him back.”

Chinnock pleaded guilty to 2nd Degree Murder and Kidnapping.

“I cannot address the pain, the suffering, the grief, and the loss that happened through Mr. Chinnock’s actions,” Judge Weishaupl said during sentencing. “There is no sentence I could give that would allow me to heal what Mr. Chinnock has done.”

Chinnock was sentenced to 48 years behind bars for 2^nd Degree Murder and 12 years on the Kidnapping charge.

“Mr. Chinnock received the maximum prison sentence allowed for 2^nd Degree Murder and quite frankly, he deserves to never walk the streets again,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “He came up with a phony story of a home invasion which was easily debunked by the physical evidence.”