A Thornton man was convicted this morning of two counts of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of a Thornton couple at their home.
Lance Leroy McDermed, 38, received two life sentences this afternoon in Adams County District Court for the murders of Marco and Vera Escobedo.
The couple — Marco was 44 and Vera was 41 — were gunned down Feb. 16, 2008, after answering a knock on the door at their Autumn Creek condominium in the 9100 block of Gale Boulevard.
Marco Escobedo was shot three times and Vera five times, both at close range, according to prosecutors.
McDermed fled the shooting scene but turned himself in to Thornton police two days later. A neighbor saw him leaving the condo after the incident.
A relative of the victims was inside the condo with two children, ages 2 and 4, when the shootings happened. They were not hurt.
McDermed also was sentenced by District Court Judge Francis Wasserman to 12 years on a burglary conviction in the case, said Krista Flanigan, an Adams County District Attorney spokeswoman.
After a 10-day trial, the jury deliberated for less than six hours and returned with the verdicts, Flanigan said.
In a brief statement, McDermed apologized to family and friends of the Escobedos. Some family members asked the Judge to hand down the maximum sentences, Flanigan said.
McDermed had several run-ins with the victims — including some about parking — over the years, according to neighbors, and Vera Escobedo had filed a complaint with police in July 2007 stating McDermed had harassed her verbally.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
