Colorado Springs authorities are looking for a second woman who they say helped Ernest Schmidt the night he wounded one man and killed another in a shooting at an AutoZone store last month.
Schmidt’s wife, Dawn K. Morgan, 35, of Colorado Springs, was arrested charged as an accessory soon after Schmidt, 60, was arrested near a motel where they were staying in Colorado Springs.
Today, police said they are looking for Frani Olivas, 48, of Colorado Springs on suspicion of being an accessory to first-degree murder. They did not elaborate on the relationship between Olivas and Schmidt.
Auto Zone employees said Schmidt, a serial felon, got into an argument inside the store at at 5792 Palmer Park Blvd. on July 27.
Customer Don LaRoe was wounded inside the auto parts store, and another man, Joaquin Paniagua, was shot to death in the parking lot.
The gunman carjacked a vehicle and took its driver hostage. The driver was released about 2 miles away.
Schmidt faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and second-degree kidnapping. He has a long criminal record in several states.
He is being held without bond in the El Paso County Jail. His wife remains in custody on $35,000 bond. He bond was originally $50,000 but was lowered to $35,000 last week, records show.
Like Schmidt and Brown, Olivas also has been arrested a number of times in the past. Her husband, who has filed for divorce, sought a restraining order against her in May, court records show.
She has a Wednesday court date for sentencing in El Paso County after pleading guilty in April to several charges, including 12 counts of identity theft with intent to use and another charge, providing false information to a pawn broker, according to court records.
Olivas is described as Hispanic, 5 feet, 2 inches tall, 130 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes.
She might be driving a red Ford Windstar minivan with Colorado license plate number 510 VSU.
Anyone with information can call Colorado Springs police at 719-444-7000, Crime Stoppers at 719-634-7867 or simply text CSPD and your tip to 847411 (TIP411).
