Aurora – Prosecutors have filed first-degree murder charges, along with seven other new charges, against Robert Keith Ray, the man they suspect is connected to the June 20 killing of a witness and his fiancée.
Ray, 19, is being held on more than $300,000 bail in the Arapahoe County Jail on various charges, including being an accessory to the July 4, 2004, homicide of Gregory Vann at Lowry Park.
Prosecutors say they’ve uncovered more evidence and believe Ray is the one who shot Vann.
Chief Deputy District Attorney John Hower on Thursday would say only that through an exhaustive investigation into all three homicide cases, “additional evidence into the first crime has surfaced.”
He wouldn’t elaborate on what led to the filing of more charges.
The seven additional charges in the July 4, 2004, shooting incident filed Wednesday in 18th Judicial District Court include three attempted-murder charges and two charges of first-degree assault causing serious bodily injury.
Vann was killed and two others were injured in the shooting after a Fourth of July party at the park.
Ray was to stand trial in late June on accessory charges in that homicide.
But the prosecution’s key witness, Javad Marshall-Fields, and his fiancée, Vivian Wolfe, were shot to death a week before the trial was to begin.
Marshall-Fields’ family members say he was threatened about his testimony the day before he was killed. Prosecutors have said in court that they believe the June 20 double homicide was a gang hit and that Ray is a member of the Gangster Disciples.
Marshall-Fields, who had just graduated from Colorado State University, had identified Ray as the driver of the getaway car in the July 4, 2004, shootings.
Vann’s family couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.
Family members of Wolfe and Marshall-Fields said they were pleased that Ray could face more charges but said they were confused about why it has taken prosecutors so long to accuse Ray of murder.
“What’s disappointing to me is that it took over a year to file these charges,” said Rhonda Fields, Marshall-Fields’ mother. “I wonder how that would have altered the events. There is more work that needs to be done.
“We need charges in the death of Javad and Vivian. I’m hoping that it doesn’t take a year for that to happen.”
Ray’s attorney did not return messages seeking comment.
Ray is expected to be in court on a different matter Aug. 19.
Staff writer Jeremy Meyer can be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
