A 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting another man in a Denver alley is an Iraq War veteran who received a Purple Heart.
Charles Garlick of Morrison is scheduled to appear in a Denver courtroom Friday morning. He has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 48-year-old James Foos.
Foos was gunned down at about 2:45 a.m. on Aug. 5 in an alley between Ogden and Emerson Streets just off East Colfax Avenue, police said. He was hit in the chest with a single shot from an AR-15 rifle, according to court documents.
Police have not released a motive in the case.
The day of the shooting, someone called police saying he had heard a single shot fired in the alley and that there was a black Chevrolet truck in the area. He passed the Colorado license-plate number of the truck onto police.
Garlick, driving the truck, was arrested a short time later in the 1400 block of Delaware Street, according to a court document.
During a police interview, Garlick “admitted shooting the victim with his AR-15,” the probable cause statement said.
He told investigators the rifle could be found on the floorboard of his truck, the document said.
A member of Garlick’s family declined comment for this story.
Garlick has been in trouble with the law before and after his military service for drinking and driving as well as drug charges, according to court records.
Most recently, in September, Garlick pleaded guilty in Jefferson County to possession of drug paraphernalia, a petty offense.
Garlick served in the U.S. Army from March 2003 until February 2006, according to military records, including service in Kuwait and Iraq in 2004 and 2005.
A member of the infantry, Garlick was wounded by mortar fire, according to a CBS national report that aired Jan. 20, 2005. Garlick was interviewed by a CBS reporter for a story on wounded soldiers.
The CBS reporter asked Garlick whether he was glad that the mortar wound to his arm — for which he was awarded a Purple Heart — would likely get him out of Iraq, according to a program transcript.
Garlick replied: “To be honest with you, no because I’m leaving. I was a team leader, and I’m leaving the team behind.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
