Aurora – A recent college graduate gunned down Monday night was scheduled to testify next week as a witness to a homicide.
Javad Marshall-Fields, who graduated last month from Colorado State University, and his girlfriend, Vivian Wolfe, both 22, died in a hail of gunfire shortly before 9 p.m. at East Idaho Place and South Dayton Street. Wolfe attended CSU.
Marshall-Fields’ family believes his death is related to his ability to identify a man accused of involvement in a fatal July 4, 2004, shooting.
“He was at a barbecue, and some guys were talking about ‘watch your back’ and ‘the streets are watching you,’ stuff pertaining to” the upcoming trial, said Alan Baxter, Marshall-Fields’ uncle.
But police and the district attorney’s office urged caution in drawing a connection.
“We have no evidence … there is a connection,” said Michael Knight, a spokesman with the Arapahoe County district attorney’s office.
“The motive is still under investigation,” said Kathleen Walsh, a spokeswoman with the Aurora Police Department. She did not name a suspect. Still, she said, “we haven’t ruled out the possibility that this crime happened in retaliation to the victim’s cooperation.”
But members of Marshall- Fields’ family think they know.
The young man saw his friend Gregory Vann die. Vann, 20, was shot in Aurora after fireworks celebrations at Lowry Park, and Marshall-Fields and another witness were wounded.
Robert Keith Ray, 19, was scheduled to go on trial Monday in Arapahoe County District Court on a charge of accessory to murder in Vann’s death. He is free after posting $25,000 bond.
Marshall-Fields had identified Ray in a photo lineup and was expected to testify against him.
Baxter said the family believes the district attorney’s office didn’t do enough to protect Marshall-Fields.
“Our family is convinced that the DA’s office dropped the ball on this case,” Baxter said. “We are very upset about it.”
But Marshall-Fields never told prosecutors or witness advocates about being scared or worried, said Knight.
“My understanding is that wasn’t the case,” he said. “In previous (court) hearings, he sat in the same room with the defendant.”
Prosecutors can help provide protection if a witness is frightened, Knight said.
“None of that was presented to us,” he added.
Still, in the aftermath of Monday’s shooting, his office is working with the police to provide extra security to other witnesses in the case.
In recent weeks, the prosecution had asked Judge Michael Spear to grant a protective order for six witnesses, including Marshall-Fields. The judge complied, issuing the order on June 6. After that hearing, an altercation occurred in the hallway between Vann’s mother and brother and people associated with the defendant, according to the judge’s notes.
A protective order protects the addresses of witnesses, but that doesn’t mean extra security, Knight explained.
Police have never identified the shooter in the July 4 case. Police and the district attorney won’t discuss the investigation.
Court records say the crime occurred after a large group was breaking up and Vann got into an argument as cars were trying to exit the park.
Witnesses said two men stepped out from a Suburban and approached the arguing parties. One man shot Vann in the chest and then turned the gun on Fields and another bystander, wounding them. The shooter ran back to the Suburban and jumped into the front passenger seat, and the SUV sped off.
Marshall-Fields later told police he had spoken with the shooters earlier, telling them to turn their stereo down.
Nine days later, Aurora police detectives asked Marshall- Fields to look at a photo lineup of suspects in the case, according to court documents.
Authorities already had one witness who said he believed one of the men was a 2003 Overland High School graduate named Rob. Police found only one black male student with that name in the Overland yearbook.
Aurora police took Ray into custody after a traffic stop in which they found a gun.
Police took his photo, put it in a lineup and took it to Marshall-Fields’ house.
“That’s the guy,” said Marshall-Fields, tapping his finger on Ray’s photo, according to the probable-cause affidavit.
Marshall-Fields told police he was certain that Ray was the person who was driving the SUV that the shooter jumped into.
Ray’s trial was to begin Monday, but prosecutors have asked for a continuance. Attempts by The Denver Post to reach Ray for comment were unsuccessful.
The investigation into the deaths of Marshall-Fields and Wolfe continues.
Police described a vehicle fleeing the scene as a late-1970s or early-1980s two-door, white Olds mobile or Buick with a dark landau top. Anyone with information is asked to contact Aurora police at 303-627-3100.
Those who celebrated at the young man’s college graduation ceremony are reeling.
“He had his whole life in front of him. He just came back from a job interview in Virginia,” a stunned Baxter said. “It is just a real tragedy.”
Staff writer Daarel Burnette contributed to this report.
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-820-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
Staff writer Jeremy Meyer can be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
