TWO STATE INMATES ACCUSED IN FATAL ASSAULT
LIMON» The state Department of Corrections is investigating the fatal assault of an inmate Thursday at the Limon Correctional Facility.
The inmate, who has not been identified pending notification of his next of kin, was killed by two other inmates, according to a news release. The victim was flown by helicopter to a hospital, where he died.
The inmates allegedly involved in the attack are Rene Guerra, 30, and Robert Rodriguez, 31, the news release said.
Guerra was serving life without parole on a 2008 murder conviction in Denver. Rodriguez was serving a 36-year sentence for a 2009 murder conviction in Mesa and 12 years for an attempted escape, according to corrections department records.
Illegal pot grow found in suburban basement.
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Anonymous tips led a drug task force to an illegal marijuana grow in the basement of a suburban Colorado Springs home and to evidence that tenants allegedly were involved in credit card and identity theft.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, detectives from the Metro Vice, Narcotics & Intelligence Division and El Paso County Sheriff’s Department did a “knock and talk” Wednesday morning at a home in the 12000 block of Catch Pen Road in unincorporated El Paso County near Falcon. They quickly established enough probable cause for a search warrant.
When they went into the house, they found a basement living room had been converted to a grow operation where 57 large plants were growing. They arrested Orlenys Mendoza Tapanes, 28, who was booked for investigation of felony cultivation and identification fraud.
100 marijuana plants seized at illegal residential grow.
An alleged illegal marijuana grow in Fountain uncovered 100 plants and 5.2 pounds of refined, packaged pot. Police and El Paso County sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant Thursday at a home in the 300 block of South Race Street, according to a news release. Investigators found 85 large marijuana plants in a detached garage and 15 plants in a family room of the home. Two firearms were seized, police said.
Rafael Liriano, 52, was arrested on suspicion of felony cultivation and distribution of marijuana. He was held on $10,000 bail.
Woman found dead inside Denver residence is identified.
A woman found dead inside a Denver home early Wednesday morning has been identified. The body of Jeanna Leslie, 49, was found in the 1500 block of Stout Street, according to the office of the medical examiner. Police had been called about 12:30 a.m. to the home on a welfare check. Leslie was stabbed multiple times. Police have not released information about a suspect.
Former police officer sentenced for insurance fraud.
A former police officer has been sentenced to 45 days in jail and five years of probation for felony insurance fraud.
Ex-Silt police Col. Michael Taylor was ordered Tuesday to pay more than $70,000 restitution — with interest — and serve 100 hours of public service. From 2010 to 2015, Taylor had reported twice that his New Castle home was burglarized and that his wife’s car was broken into. His insurance paid more than $60,000 over that time.
The 49-year-old Taylor pleaded guilty to felony theft of $20,000 to $100,000 and felony insurance fraud in December.
Wounded deputy released from hospital.
Deputy Scott Stone was released from UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central on Wednesday, more than a week after he was wounded in a gunbattle during an attempted arrest of an auto-theft suspect, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office reported. Deputy Micah Flick was slain in the Feb. 5 shooting in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Stone, sheriff’s Sgt. Jacob Abendschan, Colorado Springs police Detective Marcus Yanez and Thomas Villanueva, a resident, were wounded. Doctors don’t know if Villanueva will walk again.
Gunman Manuel Zetina, 19, of Colorado Springs also was killed.