Crime
Longmont police say ‘misinformation’ from housing authority led to apartment search presence
LONGMONT, Colo. – The Longmont Police Department on Wednesday laid the blame for its officers and K-9 units being involved in apartment inspections on a letter the Longmont Housing Authority sent to residents, and said officers were only present at the housing authority’s request.
“It was incorrectly reported that the police were conducting illegal searches,” a statement from the police department Wednesday said. “The source of this misinformation can be traced back to a letter that the Longmont Housing Authority sent to residents stating, ‘Please note that we will occasionally have K-9 units with LPD accompany us for purposes of training and compliance.’” Continue reading
Colorado authorities say election system wasn’t breached after report leaks NSA intel
DENVER – Colorado authorities haven’t received any notice from federal agencies that state voter systems were compromised during last year’s election, they said Tuesday.
On Monday, The Intercept published a leaked National Security Agency classified intelligence document showing that Russian hackers were able to phish their way into some U.S. elections systems, specifically through a company called VR Systems. Continue reading
Day after report, Longmont officers and K-9s stop tagging along during apartment inspections
LONGMONT, Colo. – A day after Denver7 reported that police officers and their K-9 partners were tagging along during apartment inspections, the police department said it was discontinuing the practice.
A Longmont Police Department spokesperson called Tuesday to say the department’s officers didn’t participate in any inspections Tuesday and that they wouldn’t be involved in the future. Continue reading
Criminal justice bills will become law without Hickenlooper’s signature; ‘budget transparency’ cited
DENVER – Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper will allow two criminal justice reform bills passed by the state Legislature to become law without his signature, saying he had “concerns that the bill’s full and true impact on the state budget was not fully transparent.”
Hickenlooper sent letters to the Republican-controlled Senate Tuesday informing them Senate Bill 12 and Senate Bill 19 would become law on June 10 without his signature. Friday, June 9 is the last day for Hickenlooper to sign or veto bills lest they become law without his signature. Continue reading
Kevin Lyons sentenced to life without parole, plus 352 years, for shooting wife and 2 neighbors
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. – The man who pleaded guilty to 14 charges last month for shooting his wife and two neighbors, one of whom died, in April 2016 will serve the rest of his life in prison without a chance for parole.
An 18th Judicial District Court judge sentenced Kevin Lee Lyons to life in prison without parole, plus 352 years, in court on Monday.
He pleaded guilty to more than a dozen charges in early May for the shooting of his wife and two neighbors. One of the neighbors, Dr. Kenneth Atkinson, died in the shooting. Lyons’ wife and the other neighbor suffered non-life threatening injuries.
18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler had said he’d considered pursuing the death penalty against Lyons—something that has been used less and less under Gov. John Hickenlooper. Only three inmates currently remain on the state’s death row.
Lyons’ wife told investigators her husband had been “acting weird” in the days before the shooting last April and suggested he go see a physician.
He snapped, according to investigators, pulled out a gun and started shooting. When neighbors came over to help, he shot them too.
Lyons’ competency to stand trial was questioned in the days after his initial arrest, though he was found to be competent last June.
Around two-dozen people testified in court Monday ahead of Lyons’ final sentencing, which is what was stipulated as part of his plea deal.
ATF offers reward for suspect info in Colorado gun store smash-and-grabs
DENVER – Federal firearms authorities have taken notice of a string of smash-and-grab burglaries at three Colorado gun stores and are offering a $10,000 reward for suspect information that leads to convictions.
The thieves made off with 45 guns in the three burglaries, which have all happened in the last 1 ½ months.
Click here to view surveillance images of the suspects involved in the burglaries
On April 18, either four or five people stole 22 guns from the Springs Armory in the 2400 block of Waynoka Road in Colorado Springs.
About a month later, on May 24, four people broke into the Triple J Armory in Littleton and stole 11 guns just before 2 a.m. They drove a vehicle through the store’s wall in order to gain entry.
Two nights later, around 2 a.m. on May 26, two people broke into Machine Gun Tours in Lakewood and stole 12 more guns, including several semi-automatic rifles.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is now offering a $10,00 reward to anyone who helps identify the suspects, leading to their arrests and convictions.
“These firearms represent a major threat to our community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Debora Livingston. “They will not be used in hunting; they will not be displayed as trophies; these guns are destined for crime. We appeal to anyone who knows the identity of these suspects or the whereabouts of the firearms to contact us before innocent people are hurt.”
Last year, a total of 273 guns were stolen from Colorado licensed dealers—up from 121 in 2015 and 56 in 2014.
ATF continues to work with the local agencies in their investigations into the burglaries, and warns both businesses and residents to be vigilant about protecting their firearms.
Anyone with information about the suspects in the burglaries can call ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.
Marine with history of heroism disarmed suspect in Boulder murder; victim shot execution-style
BOULDER, Colo. – A Marine with a history of heroism disarmed the suspect accused of shooting and killing a man execution-style inside a Boulder bar early Monday morning, then helped try and save the victim’s life as his co-worker subdued the suspect until police arrived.
The affidavit for Louis Joseph Sebastian, 32, was unsealed and released Thursday as Sebastian was formally charged with one count of first degree murder and one count of carrying a concealed weapon. Continue reading
Adams County agrees to pay $25K to Muslim inmate denied Quran
ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. – Adams County will pay a Muslim inmate denied a Quran during the 2015 Ramadan holy days $25,000 to settle a lawsuit filed last year, and the jail has agreed to change its policies to protect the religious rights of jailed Muslims.
Though the jail denied any wrongdoing in the settlement agreement, its payment to the former inmate, Marquis Harris, came with an agreement from Harris that he would drop the civil suit.
The $25,000 payment will go to Harris’s attorney, Denver-based David Lane, which will cover attorneys’ fees and other costs associated with the suit, as well as payment to Harris.
The jail also agreed in the settlement to provide Muslim inmates with any requested religious materials in a timely fashion; to provide Muslim inmates with their morning meals the night before during the Ramadan period; to allow (consistent with current policy) Muslim inmates to gather for prayer when Muslim leaders come to the facility to supervise; and to consider giving Muslim inmates Halal meals “if an option for providing those meals is financially and logistically feasible.”
The suit stemmed from a complaint that Harris’s Quran had been seized and placed with his personal belongings when he was transferred to the Adams County jail in June 2015. A request for Halal meals and a Quran during Ramadan was also denied, according to the original suit.
The settlement means that Harris won’t be able to bring further damage complaints against the alleged defendants in the lawsuit.
“It is encouraging to see courageous Muslims in our society fight the discrimination Donald Trump has loosed in America,” Lane said in a statement regarding the settlement, though the alleged improprieties by the jail occurred only around the time that Trump was announcing his presidential candidacy.
Police: Ft. Collins woman, thought to be on drugs, woke up to find infant son dead after 18-hour nap
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – A woman believed to have been on drugs is accused of falling asleep with her 3-month-old son, then waking up 18 hours later to find the infant dead.
Mandi Woodall, 28, faces a felony charge of child abuse, knowingly or recklessly causing death, and two misdemeanor counts of knowing or reckless child abuse.
According to Fort Collins police, officers were called to Woodall’s home on Garfield Street just before 6 p.m. on May 23 on reports of a dead child.
Woodall originally told officers she’d taken a two-hour nap with her infant son, but woke up and found him unresponsive.
But police say they determined after further investigation she’d been asleep for nearly 18 hours.
Two other children were at the home at the time and had been left unattended the entire time Woodall was sleeping, police said, adding they both showed “signs of neglect” but were uninjured.
“Drugs are believed to have been a factor in this case,” the police department said.
Police arrested Woodall on Thursday; she was booked into the Larimer County jail.
People with information on the case are asked to call Detective Jaclyn Shaklee at 970-416-2771 or Larimer County Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868.
Questions mount after host of Colorado oil and gas incidents; safety investigations continue
WELD COUNTY, Colo. – Gov. John Hickenlooper says there is currently “no reason to believe” that the circumstances behind Thursday’s deadly explosion at an oil tank battery in Weld County are similar to those that caused a home in Firestone to explode last month, killing two.
The name of the worker who died at the scene of Thursday’s incident at the Anadarko-owned battery is expected to be released later Friday. The death was the third linked to Anadarko-owned oil and gas properties in Colorado in the past two months. Continue reading