2017 El Paso County homicide victims map
The interactive map shows the location of all homicides in El Paso County, including Colorado Springs, during 2017. Click on the location for more details.
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The second deadliest year in at least a decade in El Paso County was marked by numerous bizarre killings that claimed the lives of nine youth, a well-known cyclist, and three homeless residents, among others. Group killings (nine people were killed in four separate incidents) drove the total city and county homicide count to 38, devastating families and shocking the community. These are their stories.
Eugene Henrey Wildeman Age: 50 Cause of Death: Unknown trauma Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Wildeman, 50, was believed to be homeless when he was found dead under a bridge in the 400 block of East Fountain Boulevard. Kenneth Alexander Palmer, 25, and Earnest Marcel Mims, 41, are accused of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Manuel Lupito Vigil Age: 28 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Vigil, 28, was shot and killed Feb. 6 during what is believed to be a drug deal gone wrong. Matthew Houston, 27, and William Prine, 24, were initially arrested in the killing, but charges were later dropped against Houston. Read more here.
Misael Macias Cano Age: 39 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Officer-involved shooting Cano, 39, was shot and killed by Colorado Springs police on Feb. 21 during a police chase in which Cano broke into a home, held the owners at gunpoint and stole their vehicle. The shooting has been ruled justified. Read more here.
Derek Benjerman Greer Age: 15 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Greer, 15, and friend Natalie Cano-Partida, 16, were found shot to death on the side of a rural county road on March 12. Authorities arrested 10 people related to the killing, five of which are being held on murder charges: Alexandria Marie Romero, 20, Gustavo Marquez, 19, Diego Chacon and Joseph Arthur Rodriguez, both 18, and Marco Antonio Garcia-Bravo, 20. Read more here.
Andrew Lawrence Swiatek Jr. Age: 29 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Swiatek, 29, was found shot to death on Farnsworth Drive on April 15. Relatives Malik Rashod Lee, 19, and Teral Lee, 60, were arrested in the death. Read more here.
Brian Julius Mattyasovsky Age: 35 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Mattyasovsky, 35, was reportedly shot and killed by his brother while the two were using loaded guns to practice self-defense on April 23. Erik Mattyasovsky, 31, is accused of manslaughter. Read more here.
Jeremy Basamania Age: 45 Cause of Death: Stabbing Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Basamania, 45, was stabbed to death on April 30 during what is believed to be a home invasion gone wrong. Jason Kover, 35, and Michael Adkisson, 33, were arrested related to the killing. Read more here.
Barbara Jean Pepper and her son Chris Age: 53 and 20 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Barbara Pepper, 53, and her son Chris Pepper, 20, were shot and killed in their home on May 13 by a friend they’d let stay there. Elijah Colon, 19, is accused of two counts of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Felipe Antonio Garcia Jr. Age: 33 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Garcia, 33, was shot and killed after breaking into his estranged wife’s apartment on North Academy Boulevard on May 14. The shooting has been ruled justified. Read more here.
Kirk David Maroo Age: 43 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Maroo, 43, was shot and killed by his girlfriend’s son during a spat over a loud televison. Grant Motsinger, 25, faces murder charges. Read more here.
A candlelight vigil was held at Full Throttle Auto Service, where owner George Maldonado was killed in an apparent robbery on Friday, July 14, 2017 in Colorado Springs. (Photo by Dougal Brownlie, The Gazette).
Amanda Patti Age: 43 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Patti, 43, was shot and killed July 31 in an apparent murder-suicide that involved a standoff with police. Mardios Ah Chang, 38, wounded two others before killing Patti and himself. Read more here.
Steven James Young Age: 45 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Officer-involved shooting Young, 45, was suspected of shoplifting when he led police on a short foot chase, appeared to raise a gun at them and was fatally shot on Aug. 14. The shooting was ruled justified. Read more here.
Kenneth John Hatcher Jr. Age: 24 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: No Hatcher, 24, was shot and killed Aug. 20 outside of The Playing Field Sports Bar on North Academy Boulevard. No suspects have been identified. Read more here.
Timothy Watkins (Courtesy photo)
Noah Kent Murphy and Sophia Murphy Age: 7 and 5 Cause of Death: Stabbing Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Noah Murphy, 7, and his younger sister Sophia Murphy, 5, were stabbed to death on Oct. 17 by their older brother, who suffers from mental health issues and said he wanted to be alone in the house. Malik Murphy, 19, is accused of two counts of first-degree murder. Read more here.
A vigil was held on Sunday night for Nathaniel Czajkowski, who was shot and killed near the Albertaco’s Mexican Food. A large crowd of mostly teens who were friends of the teen sobbed for their friend and his senseless death. Students raise their lit phones in honor of their friend, Nate. Czajkowski’s rapper artist name was Nate Winters. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette
Alex Eugene Ainsworth Age: 18 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Ainsworth, 18, died of injuries six days after being shot on Oct. 26 outside of a Family Dollar on East Boulder Street. Donte Jose Mayo, 24, is accused of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Conte Smith-El Jr., 24, was working at an unlicensed marijuana dispensary on East Platte Avenue when he was shot and killed during an attempted robbery Oct. 30, 2017.
E’Majin Imarrhi Willis-Tejan Age: 19 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Willis-Tejan, 19, was found shot to death in a vehicle outside of Memorial Hopsital Central on Nov. 11. A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on supsicion of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Christopher Louis Willard Age: 33 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Officer-involved shooting Willard, 33, was shot and killed by police on Dec. 2 after he resisted arrest on suspected theft and brandished a BB pistol. The shooting is still being reviewed for justification. Read more here.
Cory William Forbush Age: 23 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Forbush, 23, was shot an killed in the North Nevada Avenue Kmart parking lot on Dec. 27. Michael Joseph Parkhurst II, 23, is accused of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Daniel Carlos Pena Age: 64 Cause of Death: Assault Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: No Pena, 64, was an inmate at the Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center when he was beaten by other inmates on Nov. 20 and died six days later. The death remains under investigation; no suspects have been identified. Read more here.
Colorado Springs girl Bella Ritch, 3, suffered trauma akin to a car crash before her death, documents say (courtesy photo)
Derek Benjerman Greer Age: 15 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Greer, 15, and friend Natalie Cano-Partida, 16, were found shot to death on the side of a rural county road on March 12. Authorities arrested 10 people related to the killing, five of which are being held on murder charges: Alexandria Marie Romero, 20, Gustavo Marquez, 19, Diego Chacon and Joseph Arthur Rodriguez, both 18, and Marco Antonio Garcia-Bravo, 20. Read more here.
Noah Kent Murphy and Sophia Murphy Age: 7 and 5 Cause of Death: Stabbing Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Noah Murphy, 7, and his younger sister Sophia Murphy, 5, were stabbed to death on Oct. 17 by their older brother, who suffers from mental health issues and said he wanted to be alone in the house. Malik Murphy, 19, is accused of two counts of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Eugene Henrey Wildeman Age: 50 Cause of Death: Unknown trauma Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Wildeman, 50, was believed to be homeless when he was found dead under a bridge in the 400 block of East Fountain Boulevard. Kenneth Alexander Palmer, 25, and Earnest Marcel Mims, 41, are accused of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Manuel Lupito Vigil Age: 28 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Vigil, 28, was shot and killed Feb. 6 during what is believed to be a drug deal gone wrong. Matthew Houston, 27, and William Prine, 24, were initially arrested in the killing, but charges were later dropped against Houston. Read more here.
Andrew Lawrence Swiatek Jr. Age: 29 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Swiatek, 29, was found shot to death on Farnsworth Drive on April 15. Relatives Malik Rashod Lee, 19, and Teral Lee, 60, were arrested in the death. Read more here.
Brian Julius Mattyasovsky Age: 35 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Mattyasovsky, 35, was reportedly shot and killed by his brother while the two were using loaded guns to practice self-defense on April 23. Erik Mattyasovsky, 31, is accused of manslaughter. Read more here.
Barbara Jean Pepper and her son Chris Age: 53 and 20 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Barbara Pepper, 53, and her son Chris Pepper, 20, were shot and killed in their home on May 13 by a friend they’d let stay there. Elijah Colon, 19, is accused of two counts of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Felipe Antonio Garcia Jr. Age: 33 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Garcia, 33, was shot and killed after breaking into his estranged wife’s apartment on North Academy Boulevard on May 14. The shooting has been ruled justified. Read more here.
Kirk David Maroo Age: 43 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Maroo, 43, was shot and killed by his girlfriend’s son during a spat over a loud televison. Grant Motsinger, 25, faces murder charges. Read more here.
Amanda Patti Age: 43 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Patti, 43, was shot and killed July 31 in an apparent murder-suicide that involved a standoff with police. Mardios Ah Chang, 38, wounded two others before killing Patti and himself. Read more here.
Steven James Young Age: 45 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Officer-involved shooting Young, 45, was suspected of shoplifting when he led police on a short foot chase, appeared to raise a gun at them and was fatally shot on Aug. 14. The shooting was ruled justified. Read more here.
Kenneth John Hatcher Jr. Age: 24 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: No Hatcher, 24, was shot and killed Aug. 20 outside of The Playing Field Sports Bar on North Academy Boulevard. No suspects have been identified. Read more here.
Alex Eugene Ainsworth Age: 18 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Ainsworth, 18, died of injuries six days after being shot on Oct. 26 outside of a Family Dollar on East Boulder Street. Donte Jose Mayo, 24, is accused of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Conte Emanuel Smith-El Age: 24 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Smith-El, 24, was working at an unmarked dispensary on East Platte Ave. when he was shot and killed during an attempted robbery on Oct. 30. Deddrick Davonte Hill, 23, and a 16-year-old accomplice are accused of first-degree murder. Read more here.
E’Majin Imarrhi Willis-Tejan Age: 19 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Willis-Tejan, 19, was found shot to death in a vehicle outside of Memorial Hopsital Central on Nov. 11. A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on supsicion of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Christopher Louis Willard Age: 33 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Officer-involved shooting Willard, 33, was shot and killed by police on Dec. 2 after he resisted arrest on suspected theft and brandished a BB pistol. The shooting is still being reviewed for justification. Read more here.
Cory William Forbush Age: 23 Cause of Death: Gunshot Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: Yes Forbush, 23, was shot an killed in the North Nevada Avenue Kmart parking lot on Dec. 27. Michael Joseph Parkhurst II, 23, is accused of first-degree murder. Read more here.
Daniel Carlos Pena Age: 64 Cause of Death: Assault Resolved by arrest, death or dropped charges: No Pena, 64, was an inmate at the Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center when he was beaten by other inmates on Nov. 20 and died six days later. The death remains under investigation; no suspects have been identified. Read more here.
Misael Cano
A vigil was held on Sunday night for Nathaniel Czajkowski, who was shot and killed near the Albertaco’s Mexican Food. A large crowd of mostly teens who were friends of the teen sobbed for their friend and his senseless death. Students raise their lit phones in honor of their friend, Nate. Czajkowski’s rapper artist name was Nate Winters. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette
Colorado Springs girl Bella Ritch, 3, suffered trauma akin to a car crash before her death, documents say (courtesy photo)
Timothy Watkins
A candlelight vigil was held at Full Throttle Auto Service, where owner George Maldonado was killed in an apparent robbery on Friday, July 14, 2017 in Colorado Springs. (Photo by Dougal Brownlie, The Gazette).
Jeremy Basamania, 45. (Photo from Facebook, used with family’s permission.)