Eric Eugene Lyerly, 52, of Denver will face first-degree murder charges in the death of a woman found dead in the Westminster apartment where police found him this morning.
The woman has not been identified, nor has her relationship, if any, with Lyerly.
The woman’s family had asked police to check on her at the residence in the 8200 block of Federal Boulevard early this morning.
When officers found no one home at 7 a.m., and neighbors said they had heard nothing unusual, the officers left, but returned at about 11:30 a.m. at the urging of her family.
This time, officers went in and found Lyerly there, as well as the woman’s body.
Lyerly has an extensive criminal history in Colorado, including arrests on burglary, assault, several violations of restraining orders and other charges.
Records show he was sentenced to five years in state prison in 2001 after he pleaded guilty to assault by drugging a victim in Denver.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of assault of an at-risk individual in Northglenn in February and was sentenced to two months in jail and received a 10-year suspended sentence. A burglary of a dwelling charge was dropped in that case.
Records indicate Lyerly lives in Denver. He lived in Westminster in 2007 and is originally from California and previously lived in Seattle. He has been arrested in six Front Range counties since 1992, records show.
He is being held without bond in the Adams County Jail.
