first-degree murder

A man who shot and killed a family friend on Christmas Day after losing money to him in a game will spend the rest of his life in prison.

On Feb. 18, an Arapahoe County jury found Curtis Davis-Barnes, 38, guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in the Dec. 25, 2019, death of Aarion Derritt, who was 39 years old when he was shot to death. Arapahoe District Court Judge Darren Vahle immediately sentenced Davis-Barnes to life without parole in the Colorado Department of Corrections, the mandatory penalty for a first-class felony under Colorado law.

“It’s hard to believe that a friendly holiday gathering would end in murder, but that it is exactly what happened here,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “This defendant was unhappy that he was losing a game, so he calmly retrieved a firearm and shot the victim to death. I am glad we were able to obtain justice for the family of the victim, although nothing will bring back Mr. Derritt.”

At 2 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2019, Aurora police were called to a home where a man had been shot. They found Derritt in the basement, with a gunshot to the head and several more to the torso.

The homeowner told officers that family and friends had come together for a Christmas party. Several went downstairs and were playing poker and dice. Witnesses said that as the games progressed, Davis-Barnes lost $600-$700 to Derritt and became angry.

Davis-Barnes went upstairs and came back down with a handgun. He shot Derritt in the head and chest, grabbed cash out of his pockets and fled the home in car.

“By all accounts, Mr. Derritt did nothing to provoke the defendant. He did nothing to instigate a confrontation or incite any violence,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Jason Siers, who tried the case with Senior Deputy District Attorney Casey Brown. “He was playing a game, and he ended up shot dead when he should have been able to go home and celebrate Christmas.”

“Mr. Derritt was the life of the party, and his family was crushed by the unexpected loss of their beloved son, brother, and father,” Brown said. “Mr. Derritt gifted a portion of his earnings back to the defendant prior to the shooting, but the defendant was dissatisfied with Mr. Derritt’s generosity. The defendant eliminated any possibility of Mr. Derritt surviving, and he spent the remainder of Mr. Derritt’s money hiding from police.”

The jury convicted Davis-Barnes of:
• 1 count Murder 1 after deliberation, a Class 1 felony
• Aggravated robbery, a Class 3 felony
• Felony menacing, a Class 5 felony
• Criminal possession of identification documents, a Class 1 misdemeanor

An Aurora man who shot another man in the back of the head was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Elizabeth Weishaupl on Thursday imposed the statutory sentence on Cameron Scott Costello, 26, for the murder of Brandon Brabson, who was 33 years old.

Brabson was shot and killed June 23, 2020, at the Sable Cove Apartment complex in Aurora. On July 28, a jury found Costello guilty of first-degree murder in Brabson’s death.

“This man with a gun took matters into his own hands and executed a father of three,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “This sentence is appropriate for a murder in cold blood.

“No sentence will bring Mr. Brabson back to his family, but perhaps they can find some healing in putting this phase behind them.”

Brabson was at the apartment complex that night trying to speak with his former girlfriend, who had a restraining order against him.

The former girlfriend was disturbed that Brabson was trying to contact her and asked for assistance from friends and neighbors in urging him to leave.

Costello was at the apartment complex to deliver something to his ex-wife, who lived there. He was seen on surveillance video with Brabson moments before he was shot.

When Brabson’s ex-girlfriend heard the gunshot, she and some people who were with her rushed to see what had happened and found Brabson’s body alone and bleeding. They believed he had killed himself, but no gun was found; Brabson had no weapon.

After Aurora police identified Costello, he was arrested. He had with him the gun that had killed Brabson.

Brabson’s mother and sister spoke to the court during sentencing on Sept. 9.

Brabson’s sister spoke of the loss felt by his three daughters, and of the hole in their lives without a father.

“My brother, Brandon, was not a threat to (the defendant). Brandon certainly didn’t deserve that bullet that (the defendant) shot from behind him, straight into his brain stem … my brother, Brandon, went down like a soldier when (the defendant) shot him in such a cowardly way.”

Brabson’s mother told the judge Costello “ripped my heart out forever.” She spoke of unanswered questions and how her son’s murder “haunts me every hour of every day and every hour of every night since Brandon’s execution.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Jake Adkins prosecuted the case with Deputy District Attorney Justin Friedberg. Adkins acknowledged there seemed to be very little motive for the murder.

“We have never been able to answer why.” Adkins said during his brief sentencing argument. “Mr. Brabson was executed in the street for very little benefit. … It was a callous and senseless act that shows utter disregard for the value of human life.”

A man who shot and killed the new boyfriend of his former girlfriend was found guilty of first-degree murder in the boyfriend’s death.

An Arapahoe County jury on Wednesday deliberated about three hours before returning the verdict against Joseph McCaughin, 20, of Aurora, who killed Ryan Robertson.

“It’s tragic to see yet another young man’s life cut short by the petty jealousy of a man with a gun,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “Not only did this defendant kill another person, but he put little kids in harm’s way as he was shooting. Clearly he is a danger to this community.”

On May 6, 2019, McCaughin killed Robertson, who was 16 years old when he died.

Earlier that day, McCaughin had broken into the home of his former girlfriend, who had begun dating Robertson. He told her, “If I ever see (Robertson) again, I will kill you and him.”

That evening, McCaughin and Robertson encountered each other near Wagon Trail Park in Aurora. Robertson had two friends with him. McCaughin and Robertson exchanged words, and then McCaughin shot six to seven times at Robertson before running away. Robertson was shot twice and died from his injuries. When McCaughin started firing, surveillance video and witnesses confirmed he was firing towards Independence Elementary School, where numerous adults and children were outside and in the line of fire, though fortunately no one else was injured.

Aurora Police found McCaughin in Georgia eight days later.

“McCaughin made his intent and his plan crystal clear,” Deputy District Attorney Grant Grosgebauer told the jury. “He went looking for his victim and he was carrying a gun.”

Grosgebauer tried the case with Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Dawson.

“This defendant told police — and his mother — that he wasn’t the shooter, and that he was at the Southlands mall at the time of the shooting. Witnesses and his cellphone placed him at the scene. At trial, out of desperation he claimed that this murder was in self-defense, but the evidence proved otherwise,” Dawson said.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 9. The statutory penalty for first-degree murder is life in prison without possibility of parole.

An Aurora man who shot and killed his sister’s boyfriend will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder he committed.

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Darren Vahle sentenced Travon Sanders, 34, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the March 16, 2018, murder of David Washington. Washington was 35 years old.

In June, a jury found Sanders guilty of first-degree murder. He was also convicted of felony menacing.

Sanders was living in his mother’s home in Aurora, near the intersection of Sable Boulevard and East Colfax Avenue. Washington was also living there with his girlfriend, who was Sanders’ sister.

Sanders’ mother and sister were home during the shooting and told Aurora detectives there did not seem to be an argument that precipitated it. Sanders did not say anything to Washington before shooting him in the face.

Sanders told police he felt disrespected by his family. The night before the shooting, he told his mother “I’m sick of this.”

The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrew Steers and Senior Deputy District Attorney Kristina Hayden.

“The defendant acted out of jealousy and resentment when he murdered Mr. Washington in cold blood,” Hayden said. “We are thankful that Mr. Washington’s family has the justice they so deserve.”

An Aurora man who shot his wife in the face and hid her body in a garbage can in their garage has been found guilty of murder by an Arapahoe County jury.

Keith Allen Zotto, 46, was found guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder after deliberation in the death of Amber Zotto, who was 35 when she was killed. The verdict came after a five-day trial before Arapahoe County District Court Judge Joseph Whitfield.

“Absolutely this was the right outcome in this case,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “This man had no regard for a human life, even when it was his wife and the mother of his children. He stayed in that house with those kids, knowing their mother was dead in the garage. And rather than take responsibility, he tried to pretend his wife committed suicide and he somehow panicked, hid the body and then forgot what he had done.”

On July 2, 2019, Amber Zotto’s mother contacted Aurora Police to say her daughter was missing. Police went to the Zotto home. Amber Zotto’s two children told police they had not seen their mother for two days. When police called Keith Zotto, he told them he and his wife got in an argument. When he woke up the next morning, she was gone.

But when police searched the Zotto home, they found Amber Zotto’s body in a garbage can in the garage. The body was covered in debris and a gun was found in the can.

“He literally threw her away and left her to rot,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Laura Wilson told the court in her closing argument rebuttal. “When you take a gun and point it at someone’s head … you know what happens when you pull that trigger. Amber begged for her life, she put up her hands, but he pulled the trigger.”

Wilson tried the case with Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Jochum.

The mandatory penalty for Murder 1 is life in prison without possibility of parole. Sentencing is set for July 19.