An Aurora man was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder in the Arapahoe County prosecutors say.
Elmo Jesse Johnson killed Danielle Stephanie Griego in September 2014 at a home on the 1400 block of Lima Street. A judge immediately sentenced Johnson to life in prison following the verdict’s reading.
The killing happened a night after Griego’s two friends had tried to rescue her from Johnson’s alleged abusive control.
Griego’s mother, Stephanie, found the young girl on a couch laying stiff and so cold to the touch that it was obvious she was dead, police records say.
Next to Griego’s body , Johnson, suffering from an apparent overdose, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police say Johnson had shot Danielle Griego in her chest the night before, killing her. The Arapahoe County coroner found Griego had died about 12 hours before she was found and that Johnson had slept on top of her that entire time.
Friends of Danielle Griego told police that Johnson was physically and mentally abusive, documents say.
Johnson g about his girlfriend’s death in an interview with investigators, police said, and told them he had been drinking vodka the night of the homicide and might have blacked out.
Prosecutors say Johnson maintained his innocence throughout his court proceedings.
Court records show Johnson had a long criminal history before the killing that included several charges in connection with violent crimes. Six days before Danielle Griego was killed, Johnson was arrested on weapons and drug violations in Adams County before he was released on bond, records show.
Authorities say Griego died of perforated aorta and left lung.
An Arapahoe County jury found Johnson guilty after 10 days of trial, prosecutors said.
“In her short life, Danielle Griego suffered tremendously at the hands of the defendant, only to have him take her life in one of the most terrifying and violent ways possible,” 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler said in a statement. “The defendant is a murderer, an abuser and deserves every minute he will spend in prison.”
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
