Murder and Homicide

Suspect accused of killing 14-year-old also facing sexual assault charges

Update: Adams County District Attorney Don Quick announced this afternoon that Ezequiel Padilla-Villalobos, the 24-year-old who called 911 over the weekend, admitting he had killed a 14-year-old girl, is also facing sexual assault charges. As expected, he's facing first-degree murder charges, too, a ... More >>

Magical homicides: How Mexico lies about murders

Also read: Mexicans pay in blood for America's War on Drugs

Gang-related deaths are on the rise in Denver

Also read: Denver's plan to cool down gang violence

Michael Hancock speaks on the "unspeakable pain" of his sister's murder (VIDEO)

Michael Hancock.​This week's cover story, "The Victim Lobby," examines the victim rights movement in Colorado -- its remarkable growth and accomplishments, as well as the controversy over who truly "speaks" for victims in court or in the legislature. But few in high places speak as powerfully, ... More >>

Peter Bellar to be tried again after hung jury for Douglass Singleton murder: Marijuana related?

Big pics below.​Like the allegedly marijuana-related fatal crash involving Joshua Wittig, the January 2010 murder of Douglass Singleton, reportedly during a robbery involving medical marijuana, made a big splash initially, then fell off the media's radar. Turns out a lot's happened in the case ... More >>

Shun Birch found guilty of murdering a witness; co-defendant Willie Clark's trial date not yet set

Shun Birch.​ A second man, 29-year-old Shun Birch, has been convicted of murdering a witness named Kalonniann Clark in 2006. He was one of three men charged with Clark's killing -- and perhaps the least known. Reputed gang leader Brian Hicks was found guilty at a trial last month. Willie Clark ... More >>

12-year-old accused of killing parents to become youngest Coloradan tried as adult for murder?

Big pic below.​A petition has been filed in juvenile court regarding a 12-year-old from Burlington suspected of killing his parents, Charles and Marilyn Long, and wounding two siblings. But prosecutor Robert Watson still hasn't decided whether to ask for a transfer to adult court. If he does, ... More >>

Jacquelyn Perea: Contribuing to delinquency of minor charge in Alicia Martinez murder case

Big pic below.​We don't usually hear about folks accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor -- and at first blush, the charge against Jacquelyn Perea, who allegedly took a sixteen-year old to a party where alcohol and drugs were being used, and gave her marijuana, doesn't seem espec ... More >>

Brian Hicks found guilty of hiring Willie Clark, another man to kill witness Kalonniann Clark

Brian Hicks.​ Brian Hicks, the reputed leader of the Tre Tre Crips gang, has been convicted of soliciting two men to kill a witness named Kalonniann Clark. The 28-year-old Clark was killed on December 6, 2006 -- just a week before she was scheduled to testify that Hicks tried to shoot her in 2 ... More >>

Daryll Brown gets life for hitting ex-wife Alisha Brown with wine bottle, strangling her to death

Big pics below.​On December 30, 2009, Alisha Brown was found murdered in the Sixth Avenue West subdivision. The following February, her ex-husband, Daryll Glenn Brown was arrested for her death. Now, Brown has been convicted and sentenced to life without parole for a crime involving a sneak a ... More >>

Darold Hinojos charged with murder, allegedly stabbed Joey Fuller in frenzy over girlfriend (37)

Larger photo below.​It's official: Darold Hinojos has been charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Joey Fuller. The arrest affidavit, on view below, alleges that Fuller was killed simply for stepping out of his apartment and inquiring about a commotion caused by Hinojos's se ... More >>

Patricia Louise Smith and Bennett family 1984 murders: DNA evidence points to same killer

Patricia Smith.​Cold cases from 1984 in Lakewood and Aurora have just heated up. DNA evidence now suggests that the same person who killed Patricia Louise Smith in January of that year also slew three members of the Bennett family -- parents Bruce and Debra, and their daughter Melissa, age sev ... More >>

Jared Jimenez (No. 8): Father arrested on suspicion of child abuse resulting in death

Jared Jimenez.​Over the weekend, the Denver Police Department shared information about the death of a fourteen-month-old child. The tragedy was caused by injuries deemed questionable enough to arrest the child's father, Jared Jimenez, on suspicion of child abuse resulting in death. It's not J ... More >>

Christopher Hanson, Jesse Rodriguez busted in alleged murder-for-hire plot

Christopher Hanson.​If the Weld County Sheriff's Office is correct, Christopher Hanson, 21, has been a busy -- and bad -- man. He was already in custody on kidnapping and sexual assault beefs. But now, he's also suspected in a murder-for-hire plot that led to the more recent arrest of Jesse R ... More >>

Dean Evan Scott charged with murder in 2002 killing of Willie Robinson -- no DNA required

Dean Evan Scott.​These days, we're accustomed to cold cases heating up due to DNA evidence of the sort that earned Tim Masters $10 million for a false murder conviction. But DNA wasn't a factor in the arrest this week of Dean Evan Scott for the 2002 murder of Willie Robinson. Aurora Police sp ... More >>

FBI Denver's most wanted criminals: A photo gallery

Francisco Murillo, unwilling TV star.​Back in March, we shared a photo gallery of criminals with Colorado connections who landed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List during the roster's sixty-year history. But the FBI's Denver branch has a most wanted list of its own -- four murderers and one at ... More >>

Michael Ciacio, No. 90: Man charged with killing his elderly mother, Charlene Ciacio

Michael Ciacio, accused of being a bad son.​Just prior to Mother's Day, members of the Denver Police Department discovered a scene unfit for any greeting card. Charlene "Chuck" Ciacio, 84, was found dead, and her son, 47-year-old Michael Ciacio, was taken into custody in relation to her killin ... More >>

Earl Ryan ends trial early by pleading guilty to killing two-year-old Noah Crookham

Earl Ryan apparently didn't like the direction his trial was heading.​As the Darrent Williams murder trial was winding down, another proceeding about an event with tragic consequences -- the trial of Earl Ryan, who allegedly shot and killed a two-year-old boy, Noah Crookham, in 2008 -- was get ... More >>

Harold "Nicky" Nicholson's murder has been solved -- but Boulder County still has fourteen cold homicide cases that haven't heated up yet

"Some of these cases are even cold by my standards."​This week, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office revealed that they'd closed the 1970 murder of Harold "Nicky" Nicholson. Not that the alleged slayer -- Jake Dwight Jones, Nicholson's father in law -- will be prosecuted for the crime. Investig ... More >>

Mile High Murder No. 67: Jacob Garcia charged with first degree murder in child abuse case

The Denver DA's office says Jacob Garcia makes the worst babysitter ever.​Tomorrow, Jacob Garcia will appear in court to answer charges leveled by the Denver DA's office. They are: first degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. Seems Garcia was watching his girlfriend's year-and-a-h ... More >>

Mile High Murder, No. 45. Chopsticks & Sushi owner Yan De Yang formally charged with murdering Lloyd Runningbear

Chopsticks & Sushi owner Yan De Yang won't want seconds of this.​On October 23, Chopsticks & Sushi owner Yan De Yang was arrested for investigation of first-degree murder in regard to a shooting that took place at his restaurant during the previous afternoon, causing areas near the busy 16th S ... More >>

Mile High Murder, No. 46: Stephen Dailey charged with murder in shaken-baby case

Stephen Dailey's legal troubles just got a lot worse -- and we're okay with that.​UPDATE, October 27: The Denver Coroner's Office has released specifics about the death of Matthew Dailey, infant son of Stephen Dailey, who's been charged with first-degree murder in the case -- and it's clear wh ... More >>

Mile High Murder, No. 32: Britt Allan Cox charged in arson death of Bonnie Bergin

Bonnie Bergin.​Yesterday, the Lakewood Police Department announced that it was investigating a house fire last week on West 20th Avenue as a homicide; Bonnie Bergin, 49, who'd been renting the home, was found dead inside. Now, the LPD has made an arrest. Brit Allan Cox, 40, has been formally a ... More >>

Mile High Murder, No. 28: Traci Housman booked in slaying on the 2900 block of 23rd Street in Boulder

View Larger Map Early Sunday morning, Traci Housman, 36, called 911 to report that someone had stabbed her husband at the home they shared on the 2900 block of 23rd Street in Boulder, an area captured in the graphic above (if you have problems seeing the image, click "View Larger Map"). Presumably, ... More >>

Mile High Murder, No. 25: Jaime Moore charged with killing Jimmy Harmon

Jamie Moore.​ Playing some catch-up on violence that took place over the past couple of weeks.... A July 20 blog noted that a murder had taken place 3602 Leyden Street -- but it didn't note the name of the victim or the identity of the individual accused of the crime. The dead man was Jimmy ... More >>

Mile High Murder, No. 17: Velma Lee Gilbert charged in murder on 1300 block of Xanadu Street

Velma Lee Gilbert. It had been almost a week since the Mile High Murder count moved up -- meaning that there had been no new slayings in the seven-county metro area since the June 10 homicide of Eugene Velarde at the intersection of 17th and Sheridan. Unfortunately, all good things have to come to ... More >>

The Columbine effect: A horrific roster of school shootings since 1999

The most resonant information that's come my way thus far today in relation to the anniversary of the April 20, 1999 shootings at Columbine High School was contained in an e-mail sent to Westword by Vicki Newell, a public-policy director with the Colorado PTA. It's a list of school shootings since ... More >>

Inmates Waitin' Around to Die

Only one man is on death row, but seven others are waiting in the wings.

Final Sentence

The Last Juvie to Face Life?

The Last Six to Face Life for Juvenile Crimes

In for Life: Day Five of the Michael Tate Trial

Dick Tracey

A Cure for the Common Cold Case

Greg Tyner is a man on a mission.

Dead Reckoning

Donta Page's sentence revives Colorado's death-penalty debate -- but brings no closure. The Conclusion of "Penalty Zone."

Judge and Jury

With several controversial cases coming up, Colorado's death-penalty decision moves to a three-judge panel.

Murderers' Row

Until two years ago, Colorado juries weighed whether men deserved to die. Now judges decide their fate.

Ghost Story

The truth about what really happened to Holly Andrews still haunts her family.

Marked for Death

Trapped in a prison race war, Tony Francis had three choices: kill, snitch or run. He found another way out.

Home Is Where the Hurt Is

Colorado’s Make My Day law was designed to protect homeowners who were forced to kill in self-defense. Here’s who it’s really helped.

Murderer's Row

Two years ago, a deadlocked jury saved Thomas luther from the death penalty. But the legacy of his crimes continues.

Gangster's Rap

While Salvino Martinez's ex-pals do the time, he's droppin' the rhyme.

Live Fast, Die Young

She was fifteen going on twenty-five, but three bullets made sure Jenny never saw sweet sixteen

The Gang's All Here

Her grandmother will never forget the day Venus Montoya died. And she will never forgive her killers.

A Fight to the Death

Frank Rodriguez was sentenced to die twelve years ago. Are we there yet?

Sealed Fates

Second-Degree Burn (Part II)

Cher Elder's family knew all about Thomas Luther. The jury didn't.

BEATING THE RAP

THE DEFENDANT IN A FATAL BEATING IN WIGGINS IS ACQUITTED AFTER A SELF-DEFENSE ARGUMENT.

SAY ANYTHING

KILLING TIME