TRINIDAD — The Trinidad Police Department released information about a recent manslaughter arrest made by their department on February 5.
According to police Shawn Dashen, 48 was arrested for manslaughter of an at-risk adult. The identity of the individual killed was not released by police. Police say the incident occurred near the end of December 2024.
On December 21 the Trinidad Communication Center received a call about a person asking for medical assistance along Church Street. We know that person later died as a result of their injuries.
The Las Animas County Coroner contacted Trinidad Police Detectives to investigate the individual's death. After reviewing the security footage and conducting an investigation they were led to Dashen as their main suspect.
Arrest papers with an autopsy attached say that Dashen allegedly kicked the man later identified as Joseph Michael, 78. According to Trinidad Detective Seargent Jennifer Lay during the review of security camera footage from the area, Michael can be seen walking his dog along Church Street when a man, unknown at the time, can be seen making his way toward Michael before kicking him causing him to fall to the ground.
The Las Animas County Coroner Dominque Verquer believes that Michael died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head.
Detective Lay connected Dashen to the crime after various interviews with parties involved in the incident and reviewing footage from the area that eventually showed Dashen entering the Safeway ultimately connecting him to his Safeway rewards card .
Dashen is currently being held at the Las Animas County Detention Center on a $20,000 bond. He faces the following charges:
- Manslaughter, a class 4 felony
- Crimes Against an At-Risk Adult, a class 4 felony.
The court documents did not reveal if there is any connection between Dashen and Michael, nor did they provide a clear motive for the incident.
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