Mile High Murder: A grisly list of 23 Denver homicides through July 4

The Denver Coroner's Office recently issued a list of all deaths ruled homicides in the city from the beginning of 2009 through July 4. The predictably grim chronicle of 23 individuals who lost their lives in acts of violence offers some useful (and often disturbing) data. Only two of the...

By Michael Roberts

August 4, 2009

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The Denver Coroner's Office recently issued a list of all deaths ruled homicides in the city from the beginning of 2009 through July 4. The predictably grim chronicle of 23 individuals who lost their lives in acts of violence offers some useful (and often disturbing) data. Only two of the dead were females and just four are identified as white; eleven were Hispanics, seven were African-American, and one was Native American. As for the most unusual cause of death, that ignominious honor belongs to Dana White Calf, who perished as a result of "probable asphyxia due to severe subglottic stenosis and dislodged tracheostomy tube."

Names of the dead: Michael Thomas, Frank Blair II, Michael Chavez, Daylan Reagor, Roberto Jimenez, Dana White Calf, James Woodard III, Natnael Mulugeta, Alfredo Gonzalez-Ramos, Lillian Verdonkschot, Ivory Mefford, Jacob Medina, Edgar Nunez, William Ortiz, Stephen Ramirez, Eugene Velarde, Morail Bell, Christian Hernandez, Eduardo Sanchez-Banuelos, Audry Nunez, Paul Shorts, Hector Esparza and Bill Strother.

To see additional details about all 23 homicide victims, click "Continue."

Denver Coroners Office: Homicide Query

Decedent Last Name -- Decedent First Name -- Date and Time of Death -- Decedent Sex -- Decedent Race -- Decdent Age -- Final Cause of Death -- Location -- Date and Time of Notification

1. THOMAS, Michael -- 1/9/09, 9:25 PM -- M -- B -- 43 -- Sharp force injury to abdomen -- 3421 Humboldt Street/Denver/Denver/CO -- 1/11/09, 9:50 PM

2. BLAIR II, Frank -- 2/4/09, 5:33 PM -- M -- B -- 21 -- Multiple gunshot wounds -- 5000 Victor Way, Denver, CO -- 2/4/09, 6:00 PM

3. CHAVEZ, Michael -- 2/14/09 8:36 AM -- M -- H -- 36 -- Complications of multiple stab wounds -- 920 S. Yates St., Denver, CO -- 2/15/09, 3:00 PM

4. REAGOR, Davlan -- 2/27/09, 12:04 AM -- M -- B -- 37 -- Gunshot wound of head -- Near 5th Ave. & Downing St., Denver, Denver, CO. -- 2/27/09, 8:45 PM

5. JIMENEZ, Roberto -- 3/5/09 8:59 PM -- M -- H -- 21 -- Penetrating gunshot wound to left arm and chest -- 7232 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO. -- 3/6/09, 9:00 AM

6. WHITE CALF, Dana -- 3/12/09,1:56 AM -- M -- I -- 34 -- Probable asphyxia due to severe subglottic stenosis and dislodged tracheostomy tube -- 1400 Block N. Corona, Denver, CO -- 3/12/09, 1:56 AM

7. WOODARD III, James -- 4/25/09 12:07 AM -- M -- B -- 40 -- perforating gunshot wound to head -- 2915 Pontiac St., Denver, Colorado -- 4/25/09, 3:00 AM

8. MULUGETA Natnael -- 5/2/09, 5:21 AM -- M -- B -- 27 -- Perforating rifle wound of thorax -- 567 East Louisian Ave/Denver, CO -- 5/2/09, 6:00 AM

9. GONZALEZ-RAMOS, Alfredo -- 5/29/09, 1:18 AM -- M -- H -- 32 -- multiple gunshot wounds of chest and extremities -- 2727 W 6th Avenue, Denver, CO -- 5/29/09, 12:00 PM

10. VERDONKSCHOT, Lilian -- 5/29/09, 7:00 AM -- F -- W -- 49 -- Complications of multiple blunt force injuries -- 6the Ave. & Broadway, Denver, CO. -- 5/29/09, 7:00 AM

11. MEFFORD, Ivory -- 5/30/09, 5:43 AM -- M -- W -- 28 -- Gunshot wound of trunk entering left shoulder -- 659 S. Pennsylvania St., Denver, CO. -- 5/30/09, 11:00 AM

12. MEDINA, Jacob -- 5/31/09, 3:27 AM -- M -- H -- 21 -- Puncture/stab wound of chest causing pericardial tamponade - Near Pecos and Arizona, Denver, CO. -- 5/31/09, 10:15 AM

13. NUNEZ, Edgar -- 5/31/09, 10:00 PM -- M -- H -- 21 -- penetrating gunshot wound to abdomen -- 3400 York Street, Denver, CO -- 5/31/09, 10:00 PM

14. ORTIZ, William -- 6/6/09, 6:09 AM -- M -- H -- 21 -- Penetrating gunshot wound to head -- 2400 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, CO. -- 6/6/09, 6:09 AM

15. RAMIREZ, Stephen -- 6/9/09, 1:15 AM -- M -- H -- 24 -- Multiple stab wounds -- 1232 W 46 Av., Denver, CO -- 6/9/09, 1:15 AM

16. VELARDE, Eugene -- 6/10/09, 6:44 PM -- M -- H -- 25 -- Multiple gunshot wounds to the chest -- West 17th Ave @ Sheridan Blvd, Denver, CO -- 6/11/09, 4:10 PM

17. BELL, Morail -- 6/21/09, 1:11 AM -- M -- B -- 33 -- Gunshot Wound Of Chest -- 12585 E Albrook Dr. in front of Bldg #39, Denver, CO -- 6/21/09, 3:33 PM

18. HERNANDEZ, Christian -- 6/22/09, 3:43 AM -- M -- H -- 22 -- gunshot wound of chest -- 9600 E Girard Avenue, Apt.5-E, Denver, CO -- 6/22/09, 11:00 AM

19. SANCHEZ-BANUELOS, Eduardo -- 6/22/09 4:25 PM -- M -- H -- 19 -- multiple gunshot wounds -- 9600 E. Girard Ave., Apt. 5-E, Denver, CO -- 6/22/09, 4:25 PM

20. NUNEZ, Audry -- 6/23/09 9:59 AM -- F -- W -- 34 -- Sharp force injuries of neck -- 4914 Enid Way, Denver, CO. -- 6/23/09, 10:30 AM

21. SHORTS, Paul -- 6/29/09, 9:35 PM -- M -- W -- 31 -- 6/29/09, 9:35 PM

22. ESPARZA, Hector -- 7/2/09, 2:54 AM -- M -- H -- 25 -- multiple gunshot wounds -- 4503 Fillmore St., Denver, CO -- 7/2/09, 2:54 AM

23. STROTHER, Bill -- 7/4/09, 11:34 PM -- M -- B -- 70 -- Perforating gunshot wound of chest -- 14954 E. Elk Pl., Denver, CO. -- 7/5/09, 11:15 AM

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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