DENVER—Three suspects were indicted by a grand jury on charges of murder and attempted murder in a 1994 case in which as many as six men posing as federal drug agents burst into a home and demanded money and drugs.
Investigators said Tuesday that DNA evidence was used to obtain the indictments of Andre Jackson, Samuel Sims and Jackie McConnell.
Sims and Jackson are charged with sexual assault.
The indictments were issued on Dec. 19 in the stabbing deaths of Nelson Swigget and Jacqueline Collette Gallegos, who was also sexually assaulted, the Denver Post ( ) reported.
A third victim, Mack Martinez, survived after being repeatedly stabbed and gave investigators a detailed account of the attack, authorities said.
Martinez told investigators he was taken into a bedroom and tortured with a wire hanger and knives before his throat was cut.
He also said he heard what sounded like three men sexually assaulting Gallegos in another bedroom, and Swiggett being beaten and begging for his life.
District attorney spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said the men, who were dressed in dark clothing and had their faces covered, could not immediately be identified. Advances in DNA testing led to the identification of Sims and Jackson.
More suspects were being sought in the case that Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said was particularly brutal and has haunted investigators.
“It sends a message to the community that we are not going to just sit on these cases,” Morrissey said. “We’re going to continue to work these cases and try to solve them.”
All three men are in custody. Sims is currently being held in Wichita, Kan., on other charges.
Jackson has appeared in court in Denver. His attorney did not immediately return a call for comment. Court documents do not show court appearances for the other two suspects and it’s not known if they have retained attorneys.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
