The Jefferson County homeowner who shot and killed a home intruder Friday morning will not be charged with a crime, officials said Monday.
Jefferson County deputies responded to the 26300 block of Clear View Dr. Friday at 8:30 a.m. after a call that a homeowner shot an intruder, according to a news release from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The release said the deceased man was identified as Garry Liebreth, 52, of Nebraska . Liebreth has immediate family in the Denver area, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies learned from their investigation that the adult male homeowner was awoken Friday morning by the sounds of a dog barking in his yard.
While descending his staircase, he noticed an intruder crawling through his dog door. The homeowner told the intruder to leave and ran to get a firearm for protection. The intruder tackled the homeowner to the ground, and the homeowner shot him in the leg and head and ran to a neighbor’s house to call 911.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office will complete a drug screen to see if Liebreth was under the influence of any substances, the release said.
“Based on the totality of the circumstances, and the victim’s right to defend himself in his home, the victim was not arrested and will not be charged with a crime,” the release said.
Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez@denverpost.com or
