Now, an arrest affidavit has been released -- and according to the document, Burnett went after the man, said to be his best friend, due to what appears to be a fit of jealousy, then dragged the victim in the street in the hope that a passerby would help him.
As we've reported, the body was discovered Saturday morning, August 17, on the 2500 block of 134th Circle. Here's an interactive graphic of the area near the scene; if you have problems seeing the image, click "View Larger Map."
View Larger Map
After watching part of the flick, Koch and the man went outside to smoke a cigarette, then disappeared for what Burnett described to investigators as "a long time." So he went in search of them and claims to have found the pair in a spare bedroom -- and "a compromising position."
At that point, the Enterprise-obtained affidavit continues, Burnett slugged the man in the face and gave him enough of a shove that the victim fell backward.
If this seems like a relatively minor altercation, Burnett told police it turned major when the man struck his head on a small table during his tumble -- and the blow proved fatal.
Afterward, Burnett told the cops he pulled the man into the street and left him there with the idea that a good Samaritan might spot him and call for assistance.
How much time passed between the fatal fall and the discovery of the body, at just past 6:30 a.m. the day after movie night turned sour? If the gap was large, why didn't Burnett push aside his panic at some point and dial 911 himself? And what was happening to his wife during this span? These questions don't have answers right now -- but we imagine prosecutors will be among those asking them in the future.
Continue for our previous coverage of Matthew Burnett's arrest, including a larger version of his booking photo. Original post, 12:50 p.m. August 19: Unfortunately, it's been another deadly few days in the metro area.
On Saturday, the day after Sandra Roskilly was slain, allegedly by a neighbor who'd complained about her rose bushes, Matthew Burnett, a 32-year-old resident of Broomfield, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder.
The victim of this crime wasn't difficult to locate. His body was found in the middle of a street in a residential neighborhood.
According to the Broomfield Police Department, officers responded to the 2500 block of 134th Circle at 6:34 a.m. on Saturday, August 17.
The BPD describes the call as a "welfare check." They soon discovered that the Westminster man lying in the street was dead.
The subsequent investigation is said to have revealed there had been an altercation at Burnett's residence that "allegedly resulted in the victim's death."
Neither the name of the victim nor the cause of death were immediately released, and a spokeswoman for the department didn't reveal more details about these matters after being contacted by Westword this morning. She said the only new developments involved Burnett's video advisement earlier today on suspicion of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. He's due back in court on Thursday, at which time he'll be represented by a public defender assigned to his case.
Look below for a larger look at Burnett's booking photo.
More from our Mile High Murder archive: "Sandra Roskilly killed by neighbor who complained about her rose bushes (10)."
