Headlines – July 21, 2023

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Millennium Hotel Gunman Faces New Charges 

A gunman charged in February for a shooting at Boulder’s Millennium Harvest House faces new charges related to a Lafayette homicide earlier that month.

45-year-old Antonio Lucero allegedly fled the scene of a February 7 shooting at Lafayette Gardens mobile home park on South Boulder Road. Officers discovered his victim, a man, outside of a mobile home, injured by a single gunshot wound. 

Lucero is already in custody in relation to an incident at Boulder’s Millennium Harvest House on 28th Street on Feb. 20. Police were responding to reports of an active shooter. Lucero was apprehended and charged with counts of felonies and two misdemeanors.

Pueblo Mental Health Hospital Opening More Beds 

Dozens of Coloradans waiting in jail for mental health evaluations will have a greater chance of accessing treatment sooner, thanks to almost 40 beds reopening at a Pueblo hospital.

The Colorado Mental Health Hospital, which specializes in competency evaluations for people with pending criminal charges, was forced to close several beds in 2020 because of COVID outbreaks and staff shortages.

A hiring campaign this year attracted more staff with pay raises, hiring bonuses and other incentives. According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, over 450 Coloradans are waiting in jail for an inpatient hospital bed, rather than receiving mental health treatment. They say the added beds will allow the hospital to serve about 117 more Coloradans per year.

Investigators Uncover Boulder Landlord’s Murder-Suicide

After months of investigation, detectives have determined that the March shooting deaths of two men in unincorporated Boulder County were a murder-suicide.

According to a Boulder County Sheriff news release, 52-year-old Robert Reid, a landlord, shot and killed his tenant, 61-year-old Timothy Crimmins.

On March 16, deputies were dispatched to a property where both men lived in separate buildings in the 3900 block of Ridge Road after family members said they had not heard from Crimmins in several days. The deputies discovered Crimmins’s body under a tarp outside the home. One of the deputies then returned to his patrol car for equipment and noticed a vehicle parked in the area that had not been there before they arrived

Upon closer inspection, the deputies found Reid dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officials also found several newly purchased cleaning supplies in the car. Investigators believe Reid intended to dispose of Crimmins’s body and hide evidence of the murder using the cleaning supplies. They also believe that when Reid saw their patrol car, he decided to take his own life.

Dispatch records show that Reid and Crimmins made calls to authorities a total of 11 times since January 1 following ongoing disputes over rent payments, potential eviction and payments for work completed on the rental home.

Officials say Reid appeared to have no accomplices and to have acted alone.

Vandalism at Denver Park Toilets

Denver is shutting down many of their park’s public restrooms due to a recent rise in theft and vandalism. 

Denver Parks and Recreation reports that 13 of 30 plumbed restrooms are currently closed, in response to vandalism or theft of plumbing and piping. 

To accommodate, the department has implemented ADA-compliant portable restrooms at many locations, which have also been vandalized. They’ve closed 10 in the past month alone.

In the past few months, all of the copper tubing was stolen from the public bathroom at Ruby Hill Park. At Washington Park, the toilets were blown up four times over the span of 16 months. 

Denver Parks and Recreation has implemented limited hours of operation for restrooms in public parks, keeping them open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Staffing shortages have kept them from extending these hours. 

Former Student Debt Management Company to Pay Settlement 

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a settlement Thursday over the use of deceptive marketing practices that promised student loan forgiveness.

Cornerstone Doc. Prep. LLC, a dissolved debt management servicer in Colorado, will pay full restitution to the 167 customers impacted, totaling over $128,000.

The settlement prohibits Cornerstone and its director Eric Caldwell from engaging in debt management services in Colorado. The Denver District Court’s approval is pending.

Under Weiser’s leadership, the Colorado Department of Law has secured over $190 million in refunds and debt cancellation for student loan borrowers.

The Attorney General warns student loan borrowers to be cautious of debt relief scams, especially with the approaching federal student loan repayment resumption in October.

Aurora Museum Culinary Events

The Aurora History Museum is celebrating its cultural and culinary diversity with several food-related events starting today. 

This evening, the museum is hosting Chefs of Aurora, a speaker series of chefs from various ethnic restaurants in the Aurora area. Through July 31, six chefs will conduct cooking demos featuring Ethiopian, Thai, Hawaiian, Korean, Venezuelan, and Southern restaurants. These events are free to attend but require a reservation. 

More information can be found on the Aurora History Museum’s website. 

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