COLORADO SPRINGS – The Colorado Springs Police Department has investigated a record 38 homicides as of December 17,2018. So far, 32 of those cases are considered cleared or closed. Investigators continue working to collect evidence to identify a suspect in the 6 remaining cases.
By comparison, the department investigated 32 homicides during 2017 and have not arrested or publicly identified suspects in 2 of those cases.
Below is a summary of all the cases in chronological order, including closed cases, open cases, and cases determined to be justifiable homicides by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. This summary will be updated as News5 as investigations develop or cases are resolved in the courts.
Benjamin Lee Sharkey, 30 – January 7th
The first homicide of the year happened inside an apartment on 100 West Motor Way when Benjamin Lee Sharkey, 30, was shot in the head as he entered a drug dealer’s apartment with Arquinne Deandre Stafford, 36. Police pursued charges of first degree murder and robbery against Stafford. During a trial in November, Stafford was convicted of second degree murder. Due to his prior criminal record he faces up to 96 years in prison when sentenced in February 2019.
Shawnee Tapia, 35 – January 7th
Shawnee Tapia, 35, was shot and killed outside a liquor store at Astrozon and Academy on January 7th. While Colorado Springs Police identified a suspect early on in the investigation, an arrest did not happen until September when Charles Valentino Lobato, 31, was captured in Castle Rock in September 2018. During the months since Tapia’s death, Lobato was involved in a shootout with law enforcement in Costilla County. Lobato is charged with first degree murder.
Micah Flick, 34 – February 2nd
El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy Micah Flick, 34, was shot and killed while working on an auto theft task force as law enforcement tried to arrest Manuel Zetina, 19, at the Murray Hill Apartments. Deputy Flick and Zetina both suffered mortal wounds in an exchange of gunfire. Three other members of the task force were injured in the shooting.
Manuel Zetina, 19 – February 2nd – Justifiable homicide
Manuel Zetina, 19, was shot and killed by law enforcement trying to arrest him as part of an auto theft investigation at the Murray Hills Apartments at 4225 Galley Road. Zetina shot and killed Deputy Micah Flick, 34, and wounded three more members of the task force before being killed by officers. The shooting was investigated by the Colorado Springs Police Department. The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office ruled the shooting death of Zetina by officers as a justifiable homicide.
Darryl Tyrone Clark, 44 – March 4th
Darryl Tyrone Clark, 44, was found shot to death in the middle of the intersection at Yuma St. and E Yampa St. Police identified Adonis Ondrae Anderson, 44, as a suspect in the case, securing an arrest warrant for him on a charge of first-degree murder. Anderson surrendered at the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center two days later.
Corky Oliver, 31 – March 12th – Justifiable homicide
Corky Oliver, 31, was a wanted fugitive when he was involved in a lengthy standoff inside a motel on South Nevada Avenue in which police say he was holding a woman against her will. When police moved in to end the situation, Oliver was shot and killed by officers as he was reaching for a weapon just out of view. The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office ruled the shooting a justifiable homicide.
Earnest Gene Ramsey, 39 – April 13th – Unsolved
Earnest Gene Ramsey, 39, was found shot to death inside an apartment at the Pine Creek Village Apartments on the 800 block of Chapman Dr. As of December 17th, Colorado Springs Police Department detectives have not publicly identified a suspect in this crime.
Serena Lee Garcia, 21, and Marcus Howard Denton, 20 – April 21st
Serena Lee Garcia, 21, was found shot to death with Marcus Denton Howard, 21, inside a car set on fire along Bergamo Way near Bear Creek Park in western Colorado Springs. Marquis Hazard, 20, and Nashid Rivers, 19, were arrested within a week on charges of first degree murder. Police investigators believe the killings were part of an effort to rob the victims of marijuana. Hazard and Rivers are expected to go on trial in 2019.
Brandie Preciado, 21 – April 22nd
Brandie Precadio, 21, was shot and killed while sitting in a car at the Canyon Ridge Mobile Home Park on Airport Road. Her boyfriend, Juan Banda-Dozal, was also wounded in the shooting. Detectives identified William Camacho Jr., 34, as a suspect in the crime based on witness statements. The shooting was the result of an argument over the possibility of committing a robbery, according to witness testimony. Camacho was arrested three days later in Pueblo West following a shootout and chase with law enforcement. He was on parole for armed robbery at the time and remains in jail while awaiting trial.
Jesse Paul Schelegel, 41 – April 25th – Justifiable homicide
Jesse Paul Schelegel, 41, was killed in an officer-involved shooting as a Colorado Springs Police officer was responding to a burglary call on 19th St and got into a foot chase with the suspect. During a struggle between the suspect and a friend of the burglary victim, Schelegel was shot and killed. Investigators found a 9mm pistol near the suspect. The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office ruled the shooting a justifiable homicide.
Dionte Harris, 22 – May 3rd
Dionte Harris, 22, was found shot to death in the middle of the night inside a unit at the Regal Apartments on the 100 block of S Academy Blvd. Cortez Lee-Read, 23, Lakela Brasfield, 24, and Austin Boyd, 22, were later arrested in Pueblo West on charges of first degree murder. Details of a possible motive contained within court records remain sealed.
Richard Paul Martinez, 40 – May 6th – Unsolved
Richard Paul Martinez, 40, was found dead inside a self storage facility on Astrozon Court after Colorado Springs Police responded to an initial call for a disturbance at or near a bar on E Platte Ave. As of December 18th, police have not identified a suspect in this case.
Marshall Aaron Mitschelen, 17 – May 9th
On the day Colorado Springs Police found Marshall Mitschelen, 17, dead from a gunshot inside a home on Whileaway Circle they did not classify his death as a homicide. Further investigation did result in the new classification and the filing a charge of manslaughter against an unnamed 17-year-old boy. The death is believed to be the result of a possible accidental shooting that happened as the teens were handling a loaded weapon.
Derrick Lamont Lawrence Jr., 23 – June 23rd
An early morning rollover crash started the series of events that lead to the death of Derrick Lamont Lawrence Jr, 23, on the morning of June 23rd. According to police, Lawrence crashed a friend’s vehicle on Gold Camp Road, and was later tracked down on the 1700 block of South 8th St. Prosecutors argue Cedric Jamal Jackson, 19, killed Lawrence because he was upset over damage to his car. Jackson is awaiting trial.
Michelle Peters, 41 – July 13th
Colorado Springs Police were called to a home on Galleria Terrace on the eastern side of the city on the afternoon of July 13th for the shooting death of Michelle Peters, 41. After an hours-long manhunt, her husband, Mark Peters, 46, was arrested and charged with first degree murder. According to police, Mark Peters spent several months stalking and threatening his wife and child during their separation, despite restraining orders. On the night of the killing, Peters was reportedly dressed as a woman when he rang the wife’s doorbell, then opened fire as she answered. He is currently awaiting trial.
Brandon Watkins, 33 – July 21st – Charges dropped
The case against Jacquiline Souza, 31, was originally pursued as a second degree murder charge for the death of her fiance, Brandon Watkins, 33. However, charges were dropped in the fall of 2018 as prosecutors told a judge they believe Souza stabbed Watkins in self defense during a fight inside their home on Cabana Circle. Even though charges were dropped, this case it still considered a homicide.
Paul Gannarelli, 77 – July 22nd
Paul Gannarelli, 77, was heading down Powers Blvd on the afternoon of July 22nd when he was killed in a deliberate head-on crash, according to Colorado Springs Police. A man who was a passenger in the other car is accused of grabbing the steering wheel during an argument with a woman. Following the crash, police say Nathaniel Patric Stager, 25, stole an SUV and fled the scene. He was arrested two days later on charges of first degree murder for Gannarelli’s death, plus attempted murder, attempted assault, vehicular homicide and auto theft. Stager is currently awaiting trial.
Michael Dewayne Booker, 28 – August 16th
Police found Michael Dewayne Booker, 28, with traumatic, fatal injuries from a gunshot wound near a parked car on the 2100 block of Roundtop Drive. Known gang member and convicted felon David Carrera, 31, was arrested a few days later based on witness interviews stating Booker was shot during a disagreement. Carrera is awaiting trial.
Terrell Cortez Madrid Duran, 30 – August 27th
Terrell Cortez Madrid Duran, 30, was fatally shot while riding his motorcycle on East Las Animas St on the southside of Memorial Park. Police arrested a 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy less than a mile away and arrested them on charges of first degree murder. Details on a possible motive in this case have not been revealed.
Jordan Coleman, 18 – August 29th
An argument just outside of UCCS Family Development Center in the middle of the night resulted in the death of Jordan Coleman, 18, at the hands of his friend, Micahi Stacy Hughes, 22, according to police. As the two men and woman were pulled over on the side of the road, the victim reportedly dared Hughes to shoot him. After the shot was fired, Coleman was taken to the hospital by Hughes and the woman. Hughes was arrested on a charge of first degree murder.
Randolf F. Lille, 18 – August 31st – Unsolved
On the morning of August 31st, Colorado Springs Police were investigating a stabbing in Dorchester Park that left a man in critical condition when they were called to another stabbing nearby in a convenience store parking lot on East Las Vegas Street and S Nevada. The victim in the second stabbing, Randol F. Lille, 54, was already dead when officers arrived. Investigators did make an arrest in the first stabbing, but have not connected the second to the suspect. Lille’s case remains an unsolved homicide.
Daniel Chamberlain Lehman, 28 – September 15th
Captain Daniel Chamberlain Lehman, 28, a graduate of West Point stationed at Ft. Carson was found shot to death at the intersection of S. Nevada and Costilla St. Investigators believe he was killed 6 hours before the body was found. Colorado Springs Police served an arrest warrant to Gilbert Chavez Jr., 27, on a charge of first degree murder. Chavez was already in jail on an unrelated warrant for a drug charge. Chavez is awaiting trial.
Sheldon King, 33 – September 16th
The death of Sheldon King, 33, inside a home on the 1600 block of Howard was determined to be a murder-suicide by Colorado Springs Police. King was shot dead before Frank Dillard, 68, took his own life. Details on what led up to the shooting and how the men knew each other have not been released.
Raymond Daniel McCall, 39 – September 18th
Colorado Springs Police have not released details on what led up to the shooting death of Raymond Daniel McCall, 39, outside the Pine Creek Village Apartments. Jeremy Dewayne Jones, 41, was arrested a couple of days later on a charge of first degree murder.
Houston Malachai Cookson, 30 – October 6th
A homeowner on Flintridge Circle reportedly shot Houston Malachai Cookson, 30, during an attempted burglary. Cookson was found out on the patio with a critical injury. He later died at the hospital. The case could fall under the state ‘Make My Day’ law, which allows self defense, was referred to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. As of mid-December, no charges have been filed.
Judy Smith, 47 – October 26th
The mutilated body of Judy Smith, 47, was found inside her family’s apartment on the 1900 block of South Chelton early in the morning. According to court documents, her son, Lake Smith, 24, was angry she told him to to stop playing video games. Judy Smith was stabbed with a pocketknife and attacked with a meat cleaver four days before her body was found by maintenance workers. A call to police from Lake Smith’s father about a burglary led police to arrest his son in a parking lot on West Colorado Avenue. He’s charged with first degree murder.
Jaylon Morgan, 26 – November 1st
Officers found Jaylon Morgan, 26, suffering from a gunshot wound inside a parking garage on N. Cascade. Attempts to save his life were unsuccessful. Timothy Key, 27, surrendered at the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center soon afterwards. He was arrested on a charge of second degree murder. Details on what led up to the shooting have not been released.
Luis Molina, 34 – November 2nd – Unsolved
Luis Molina, 34, was found dead in a creek bed in the Ivywild area of the city early on the morning of November 2nd. To date, Colorado Springs Police have not released information on how he died. No suspect has been publicly identified in this active investigation.
Luis Starkey, 17 – November 5th
Few details are available from police on the shooting death of Luis Starkey, 17, other than he was found inside a home on the 4200 block of Deerfield Hills Rd and rushed to the hospital He died the next day. Within a week, Colorado Springs Police arrested a boy and a girl, both 16-years-old, on charges of first degree murder.
Jacquiline Wilde, 24 – November 6th
Jacquiline Wilde, 24, was found dead in a field off of Astrozon Boulevard after dark. As of January 3rd, CSPD has arrested Pedro Cruz-Quinones, 20, on charges of Accidents Involving Death, Vehicular Homicide, Manslaughter, and Criminally Negligent Homicide. Investigators believe Wilde was a passenger on a dirt bike driven by Cruz-Quinones when she was thrown off while being jostled over rough terrain. He’s accused of then leaving Wilde for dead.
Shakir Cook-Troynel, 23 – November 17th
The shooting death of Shakir Cook-Troynel, 23, was the result of Isaiah Towns, 20, finding his wife with another man inside his home, according to Colorado Springs Police. Cook-Troynel was reportedly with the woman who is also the mother of his child, when Towns came home to his apartment on South Murray Blvd to find the other man hiding in the closet. Towns is charged with second degree murder. The arrest affidavit details that both men were enlisted in the U.S. Army and serving at Ft. Carson.
Candace R. Jones, 35 – November 23rd
Candace Jones, 35, was shot and killed outside the Ridgeview Place Apartments after dark on November 23rd. According to police, Jones was killed during a fight with her wife, Jamie Crawford, 28. Crawford was arrested at her nearby home on a charge of first degree murder.
Patrick Bustamante, 50 – December 3rd
Police have arrested Patrick Salazar-Bustamante, 23, on a charge of manslaughter for the shooting death of his father, Patrick Bustamante, 50, inside a home on the 3600 block of Galley Rd. The arrest affidavit states the son was showing his father how to properly disassemble a gun when it fired, hitting his father in the side.
Nicholas G. Romero, 32 – December 8th
Nicholas G. Romero, 32, was found dead outside the Windmill Apartments on the 4000 block of Lacy Lane on the morning of December 8th. In early January, Colorado Springs detectives arrested Saphire Nicks and Savino Anceno on charges of first degree murder.
Raymond Maez, 22 – December 10th – Unsolved
Raymond Maez, 22, died on December 10th, nearly two weeks after he was found shot inside a tent at a homeless camp along I-25 and the MLK Bypass. Colorado Springs Police detained a woman on the day of the shooting (November 27th) but have not announced any arrests.
Brandon Coffin, 28 – December 14th
Brandon Coffin, 28, was among four people shot late at night in a commercial parking lot on Geiger Court in the southeastern part of the city. Coffin was the only fatality from this shooting. Colorado Springs Police have arrested Tony Lawson, 49, on a charge of first degree and Zachery Lawson, 18, on a charge of felony menacing. Details on the circumstances have not been released.
Robbie London, 43 – December 20th – Unsolved
Robbie London, 43, was found dead from a gunshot wound inside an apartment at Whitney Young Manor on Delta Drive. As of 1/3/2019 no suspect information is available in this open case.
If you have a question or comment about this article, contact the author at blloyd@koaa.com.
