Less than 24 hours after arresting a second man on suspicion of murder in the shooting deaths of an 11-year-old girl and her 47-year-old aunt, police reversed course and released the man from jail Friday.
Michael Manzanares, 23, had been held for investigation in the deaths of Angelica Martinez, 11, and Rebecca Yanez, 47.
Manzanares had appeared in county court earlier today for an advisement and was ordered held without bond. That all changed at about 5 p.m.
Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said Manzanares has been released.
“He was arrested as a suspect but it has been determined at this time to release him and to continue the investigation,” Jackson said.
Jackson said it would be incorrect to label Manzanares as a “suspect” or “person of interest.”
Martinez and Yanez were killed while at a small New Year’s party at 4708 W. 11th Ave. A single bullet fired through the wall of the house went through Yanez’s head and struck Martinez.
Police arrested Pedro Cortez, 25, on Tuesday for investigation of murder in the same case. He is being held without bond at Denver City Jail.
Cortez told police that he fired at .44-caliber revolver at a street light across Lakewood and Dry Gulch Park early Tuesday.
Experts told The Post that it is unlikely that a bullet from a .44-caliber Magnum handgun would have gone 300 yards, then through a house to kill two people.
Police originally said they were searching for someone who fired a high-powered rifle.
Jackson would not say whether Manzanares had such a weapon. He also would not say whether the second suspect is suspected of firing the fatal shot with a different weapon.
Prosecutors requested a two-day extension to file formal charges against Cortez and likely won’t file them until Tuesday, said Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney’s office.
She said the prosecutor in the case needed the postponement to allow detectives more time to interview witnesses and to give the crime lab time to process evidence.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
