A Denver jury has found Gregory Stapleton guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in the stabbing death of Richard Ford III, 36, near the Aurora Higher Education Center nearly five years ago, the Denver District Attorney’s Office .
An altercation reportedly began between the two during a lunch line dispute over a pair of free socks on Sept. 8, 2020.
Witnesses said the two exchanged words and alleged that Stapleton said he would “throw hands.” The two left the line and shortly after that Ford was found bleeding heavily from a stab wound in the chest that pierced his heart.
Stapleton grabbed Ford’s bag and left the scene. He was able to evade arrest until January 2022 and was formally charged in February 2022. He was 38 at the time of his arrest.
Sentencing is set to take place on Oct. 20. Stapleton faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
