Tragic Details of Denver's 28 Unsolved Homicides in 2021

This is the second in a series of stories about Denver homicides in 2021. Click to read "Most Dangerous Denver Police Districts in 2021."

Of the 96 homicides that took place in Denver during 2021 — the highest number in forty years — more than 30 percent are still under active investigation. In a few instances, law enforcement agencies have identified suspects. But more often, the cases are simply unsolved.

While "homicide" and "murder" are often treated as synonyms, "homicide" is officially defined as the killing of a human being by another person, whether intentionally or accidentally. As a result, homicide can encompass a variety of crimes in addition to murder, including manslaughter and more, and can be deemed legally justified if an individual is found to have acted in self-defense.

Of the 96 homicides tallied by the Denver Police Department in 2021, fifteen are labeled "Cleared by arrest," because the DPD believes the perpetrators have been found. Dozens of others are marked either "Cleared" or "Cleared — Refused," because either the Denver District Attorney's Office has decided that prosecution isn't warranted or the guilty party is no longer alive, as in a murder-suicide scenario.

However, 28 of the homicides are deemed "Open," designating that they're crimes for which no one has yet been charged. But in some cases, detectives have an idea of who may have committed the act. In the January 30, 2021, homicide of 38-year-old Jermaine Riley, for example, the department anonymously lists two suspects: a 41-year-old Black male and a 19-year old Black male. Likewise, a 24-year-old Black male is deemed a suspect in the February 6, 2021, homicide of 20-year-old Sayyaheen — and a 44-year-old Black male is referenced as a suspect in the March 11, 2021, homicide of 30-year-old David Lovelace. That these individuals haven't been arrested or prosecuted suggests that there may be some ambiguity in the incidents, or that law enforcement is seeking additional information.

For 23 of the 28 open cases, however, no suspect information is listed. The majority of them took place outside in urban locations; the DPD categorizes them under the umbrella compendium "Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk." Only three open homicides occurred at a residence or a home.

Other common threads: Every victim was male with the exception of 28-year-old Mary Lydon, who was killed in July 2021. She was also the only person on this tragic roster not slain by a firearm or handgun; her cause of death is characterized as "bodily force." Twenty of the men were Black or Hispanic; seven were white.

The open homicide that's gotten the most attention was the November killing of 28-year-old Jacob Brady, at his house on West Second Avenue, owing largely to a GoFundMe campaign that is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who took his life. Most of the other victims are little known beyond their friends and families.

Below are summaries of the 28 open Denver homicides from 2021; included are age, demographic information, the time and date of the crime, the address and Denver Police District where it took place, and the type of weapon used, as well as location description and suspect information (if available).

1. Paul Baca, 45
Hispanic male
January 22, 2021
4:31 p.m.
2021 West Alameda Avenue/South Pecos Street
District 4
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

2. Brian Connelly, 26
White male
January 30, 2021
1:20 a.m.
East 52nd Avenue/North Steele Street
District 2
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

3. Jermaine Riley, 38
Black male
January 30, 2021
10:30 p.m.
8415 East Colfax Avenue
District 2
Firearm
Residence/Home
Suspects: Black male, 41, and Black male, 19
Open

4. Yzeed Sayyaheen, 20
White male
February 6, 2021
7:55 p.m.
300 block of South Irving Street
District 4
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
Suspect: Black male, 24
Open

5. Shumma Woldu Agar, 34
Black male
February 10, 2021
11:05 p.m.
2021 East 17th and Uinta Street
District 2
Firearm
No location description listed
No suspect information listed
Open

6. Jesus Patron Espericueta, 20
Hispanic male
March 6, 2021
2:04 a.m.
4775 North Argonne Street
District 5
Firearm
Parking lot
No suspect information listed
Open

7. Marcus Hall, 51
Black male
March 11, 2021
12:35 a.m.
8500 East Colfax Avenue
District 2
Firearm
No location description listed
No suspect information listed
Open

8. David Lovelace, 30
Black male
March 11, 2021
3:05 a.m.
I-70 Eastbound/North Peoria Street
District 5
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
Suspect: Black male, 44
Open

9. Jeremy Estes, 44
Black male
March 11, 2021
3:06 a.m.
2021 East 40th Avenue/Central Park Boulevard
District 5
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street
Suspect: Black male, 26
Open

10. Bryan Luna, 17
Hispanic male
April 10, 2021
2:24 a.m.
806 South Knox Court
District 4
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

11. Julian Batista, 18
White male
June 6, 2021
9:47 p.m.
1454 North Jersey Street
District 2
Firearm
No location description listed
No suspect information listed
Open

12. Antonio Hernandez-Pozos, 26
Hispanic male
June 8, 2021
10:32. p.m.
7313 East Colfax Avenue
District 2
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
Suspect: Black male
Open

13. Tevon Horton-King, 29
Black male
June 11, 2021
1:01 a.m.
2300 Block of Curtis Street
District 6
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

14. Reys Arias, 27
Hispanic male
June 20, 2021
10:49 p.m.
2570 South Dayton Way
District 3
Handgun
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

15. Mary Lydon, 28
White female
July 28, 2021
8 a.m.
3500 block of Ringsby Court
District 1
Bodily force
Other/Unknown
No suspect information listed
Open

16. Johnny Peralta, 35
Hispanic male
August 1, 2021
8:53 p.m.
3625 North Elizabeth Street
District 2
Firearm
No location description listed
No suspect information listed
Open

17. Julian Evangelista-Short, 18
White male
August 4, 2021
9:58 a.m.
929 North Yates Street
District 1
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

18. Jalen Adams, 28
Black male
August 6, 2021
8:30 p.m.
1499 North Broadway
District 6
Firearm
No location description listed
No suspect information listed
Open

19. Frelel Rodriguez-Escobedo, 21
Hispanic male
August 8, 2021
11:26 p.m.
1200 West Florida Avenue
District 4
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

20. Jean Stewart, 22
Black male
August 22, 2021
1:43 a.m.
2021 19th Street/Blake Street
District 6
Firearm
No location description listed
No suspect information listed
Open

21. Harold Brown, 18
Black male
September 12, 2021
3:03 p.m.
10700 East Dartmouth Avenue
District 3
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

22. Melchor Castillo, 22
Hispanic male
October 8, 2021
9:20 p.m.
2021 North Chambers Road/East 40th Avenue
District 5
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

23. Timothy Massengale, 62
Black male
October 9, 2021
9:52 p.m.
7355 East 22nd Avenue
District 2
Firearm
Residence/Home
No suspect information listed
Open

24. Joe Delgado Torres, 22
Hispanic male
November 1, 2021
1:21 a.m.
4200 block of North Flanders
District 5
Handgun
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

25. Qalab Dessita, 23
Black male
November 5, 2021
1:58 a.m.
3490 Park Avenue West
District 1
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

26. Andres Ramos, 25
Hispanic male
November 12, 2021
8:52 a.m.
2021 North Logan Street/East 48th Avenue
District 1
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

27. Jacob Brady, 28
White male
November 26, 2021
1:06 p.m.
4515 West 2nd Avenue
District 4
Firearm
Residence/Home
No suspect information listed
Open

28. Wesley Rosander, 34
White male
December 19, 2021
7:32 a.m.
East 40th Avenue/North Chambers Road
District 5
Firearm
Highway/Road/Alley/Street/Sidewalk
No suspect information listed
Open

If you have information about any of these unsolved homicides, you can contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867).