CENTENNIAL — A 24-year-old man sentenced to life in prison Thursday for an Aurora murder over an iPhone continued to claim innocence, telling the court defiantly that there was “doubt” in his conviction, that he’ll appeal, and he’s “not sorry for anything that happened.”
of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in the January 2014 death of 22-year-old Arturo Arguelles-Chavez during a meeting to sell an iPhone, raised the ire of Arapahoe County District Court Judge Stephen Collins during the sentencing hearing.
Bankett was convicted of killing Arguelles-Chavez, shooting him twice in the chest, in front of the victim’s family — his wife and two young children — as they sat in a nearby car.
Addressing the court before the sentence was handed down, Bankett started by saying: “I’m not sorry for anything that happened in the case.”
Bankett told the judge that he was shown “a lack of respect” and that his conviction was built on lies and that evidence was withheld.
“Somebody died … now I’m going to get life,” Bankett said. “There was enough doubt to find me not guilty.”
Arguelles-Chavez, who repaired cell phones and sold them for living, was shot after meeting Bankett to buy an iPhone, prosecutors said. Bankett had offered to sell the phone for $200, then, at the meeting, tried to hold out for $250. Arguelles-Chavez refused, wanting to stick to the original agreement.
Bankett told Arguelles-Chavez he had to remove some personal information off the phone and he walked back to his apartment.
When Bankett returned, he shot Arguelles-Chavez. After the shooting, $190 was stolen from Arguelles-Chavez wallet.
Witnesses identified Bankett as the shooter and he was arrested four days after the slaying. He was convicted after a seven-day jury trial.
“What it comes down to is this was cold-blooded murder,” said Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Oldham, arguing for a life sentence.
Bankett had claimed that he missed the meeting because he was beat and robbed, and the men who robbed him killed Arguelles-Chavez.
Aracely Trejo, the victim’s mother-in-law, said she has no doubt that Bankett is guilty.
“He knows he did it,” Trejo told the court.
Since the incident, Trejo said she’s, had difficult, emotional talks with the victim’s children, her grandchildren.
” ‘Why did God take my dad? ‘ ” they ask. Trejo said she responds: “It wasn’t God, it was someone else.”
When the children watch TV and see or hear gunfire, Trejo said, they’ll say: “That is how they killed my dad.”
Bankett’s mother, Velma, spoke on his behalf. Crying at time, she apologized to Arguelles-Chavez family, saying she was “very sorry.”
“Have mercy on my son,” she asked the court.
In handing down the sentence, Collins was aghast at Bankett’s lack of remorse, describing it as “staggering.”
“This was an absolute, senseless tragedy,” Collins said. “There was no reason why this had to happen.”
Collins said Bankett’s opening statement “lacked any humanity or compassion.” Bankett should “be sorry the victim was killed, whether he had anything to do with or not,” the judge said.
Collins added that Bankett remains focused on cloudy elements of the case, while dismissing overwhelming evidence against him.
“It is cold-blooded murder,” Collins said. “There is no place for that in our society.”
The judge also sentenced Bankett to 32 years for robbery in connection to the case.
After the sentence, Bankett, dressed in a jailhouse orange suit and shackled, turned to the gallery and winked at supporters.
“See ya, G’s!” he said. Bankett turned and scampered to a back door out of the courtroom.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822, knicholson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kierannicholson
