Suspect in October slayings at party held after standoff
A man wanted in a double homicide in Denver over Halloween weekend was arrested Monday night after a three-hour standoff with police.
Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said authorities were tipped that Martin Herrera, 22, might be at a residence in the 1000 block of Raleigh Street.
Police attempted to make contact with Herrera to serve him with a search warrant about 5 p.m., but the suspect barricaded himself inside, refusing to surrender, Jackson said.
Shortly after 8 p.m., a SWAT unit flushed Herrera out with tear gas, and he was arrested without incident, Jackson said.
Herrera was wanted in the investigation of an Oct. 30 shooting at 2091 S. King St. that killed Teddy Guerra Jr. and his friend Isaiah Roybal, both 21. Three other people were injured, one seriously, before the assailants left the party.
Jackson said police still are searching for another suspect in the slayings, 25-year-old Rodolfo Gonzales.
DENVER
Ex-CU officials plead guilty to misconduct
Two former administrators at the University of Colorado at Denver pleaded guilty Monday to official misconduct in an embezzlement case.
Former assistant vice chancellor Mary Lou Fenili, 60, and Margaret “Midge” Cozzens, 65, former vice chancellor for student and academic affairs, were accused of funneling $25,008 and $15,000 to two former university employees who had taken severance packages that were later rescinded.
Fenili was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation and ordered to pay $6,500 in restitution. Cozzens faces a similar probation sentence and $12,000 in restitution when she is sentenced April 18, said Lynn Kimbrough of the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
The university was able to recover some of the money, and the restitution represents the balance, Kimbrough said.
DIA
ID released for man who fell off escalator
A man who was injured in a 30-foot fall from an escalator at Denver International Airport was identified Monday as Patrick Killelea of Middleton, Mass.
Killelea, 22, remained in critical condition at Denver Health Medical Center, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Killelea apparently tried to sit on the hand rail of the escalator in the A concourse, above the train platform, when he lost his balance, police said.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY
Motorist denies guilt in bride-to be’s death
The man charged with killing a bride-to-be the day of her wedding last summer pleaded not guilty Monday in Arapahoe County District Court to charges of vehicular homicide, reckless driving and driving under the influence.
Kevin Kraft, 27, of Aurora will go to trial in July. He remains free on $25,000 bond.
Police didn’t originally charge Kraft after an accident in which his car broadsided a car driven by Arlene Gavrilis, 25, of Highlands Ranch early June 4. Gavrilis, who was to be married that afternoon, died at the scene.
Two months later, the district attorney’s office determined that Kraft was at fault and charged him.
DENVER
Council to put off decision on towers
An ordinance that sparked concern about an emergency communication tower in the Hillcrest area will be put on hold.
City Councilwoman Peggy Lehmann said Monday she will ask that the zoning change allowing such towers be put off until after the city has completed a new search for tower locations.
Last week city officials agreed to look for another location for a tower after neighbors around the proposed tower area peppered city officials with letters, e-mails and calls against it.
A report on the search is due May 18.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Three men held in 2001 student killing
Three men were being held in the the slaying five years ago of a University of Colorado at Colorado Springs student, police said Monday.
Patricia Ann Elliott, 19, was found dead in the bathroom of her north Colorado Springs town home in April 2001, police said. An autopsy indicated she died of head injuries.
Ryan Krueger, 29, and Benjamin Gunvalsen, 25, were arrested Friday in Colorado Springs, police said. Christopher Allen, 27, was arrested in Nevada.
Krueger and Allen are suspected of first-degree murder, while Gunvalsen is suspected of being an accessory to the crime, police said.
MONTROSE
Autopsy says gay man was choked to death
More than seven months after a Montrose man was slain in a neighborhood park, a final autopsy has confirmed that he died of suffocation from being choked.
The report from Montrose pathologist Dr. Thomas Canfield also showed that Kevin Hale, 36, had methamphetamine and prescription anti-seizure medications in his system when he died July 30.
Two Montrose men, Jason Fiske and Adam Hernandez, have been charged in Hale’s death and are due to enter pleas next week in Mon trose District Court.
Hale’s death spurred calls for hate-crime charges because Hale was openly gay.
AURORA
Bank official accused of aiding heist suspect
A woman who worked as assistant manager at a TCF Bank branch in Aurora is accused of helping an accomplice rob the bank in 2002.
In a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued Monday, Teena Lynn Williams was accused of helping a man rob the TCF Bank inside a King Soopers.
The robbery suspect told FBI investigators that he and Williams discussed the potential bank robbery four or five times.
Williams faces a charge of aiding and abetting a bank robbery, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Democrat Lamm to petition onto ballot
Peggy Lamm, Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional District, said Monday that she would petition her name onto the primary ballot instead of going through the caucuses that begin next week.
“Part of the problem in Washington these days is that the voices of regular people are not being heard. And while I have the utmost respect for the caucus system, I want to reach out to energize voters and encourage more participation in the primary election process,” Lamm said in a statement.
She needs to gather 1,000 signatures to petition onto the ballot.
Lamm is running in the Democratic primary against Ed Perl mutter and Herb Rubenstein.
